CONFIDENTIAL— FOR  OFFICIAL  USE  ONLY 

^^— ^— — ^__-«__H-^-H___«W 

NOTES  ON 

GRENADE  WARFARE 


COMPILED  FROM 

DATA  AVAILABLE  ON  FEBRUARY  15,  1917 
ARMY  WAR  COLLEGE 


NOTE. 

This  pamphlet  is  subject  to  periodical  revision.  It  is  only  intended 
to  present  in  compact  form  the  principles  most  recently  reported  from 
the  seat  of  war,  and  to  suggest  methods  of  training  for  use  in  camps  of 
instruction.  It  should  not  be  quoted  in  official  correspondence,  nor 
should  it  be  used  as  a  textbook  for  the  study  of  grenade  warfare. 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICB 
1917 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
Document  No.  576. 
o/  The  Adjutant  General 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Page. 

Introductory 7 

Part  I — Selection,  training,  and  organization  of  grenadiers. . .  9 

General  remarks 9 

Selection  of  grenadiers ' 10 

Training  of  grenadiers .......  11 

Individual  instruction 11 

Scope  of  individual  instruction 13 

Precautions  in  handling  live  grenades 13 

General  principles  of  detonating  explosives.  14 
Method  of  making  and  using  improvised 

grenades 14 

Classification  and  mechanism  of  grenades  . .  14 

Mechanics  of  throwing 18 

Construction  and  use  of  periscope 22 

Physical  instruction  of  grenadiers 22 

Notes  on  throwing 22 

Bayonet  fighting 23 

Barricades 24 

Exercises  in  trenches 24 

Instruction  of  expert  grenadiers 24 

Tests  for  appointment  as  grenadiers 25 

Squad  instruction 26 

Organization  of  the  squad 26 

Duties  of  members  of  the  squad 27 

Squad  exercises 28 

Part  II. — Tactical  employment  of  hand  grenades 29 

Defensive 29 

Defense  of  a  trench  by  grenades . .  „ . ,  29 

Offensive 30 

General  remarks 30 

Advance  in  and  defense  of  communication  trenches.  31 

Assault  of  a  trench 35 

Cleaning  up  a  trench. 36 

Sorties 37 

General  remarks 37 

Preparation 38 

Attack  of  a  trench  by  sortie ;i8 

3 


6C4384 


4  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Part  III — Mechanical  methods  of  throwing  grenades 41 

Rifle  grenades 41 

Precautions 41 

Tactical  employment  of  rifle  grenades 44 

Gun  grenades 45 

Projecting  apparatus  for  grenades 45 

Organization 45 

Tactical  employment 48 

Location  of  battery  emplacements 48 

Employment  of  fire 49 

Part  IV — Supply  of  grenades 51 

Appendixes: 

A.  Training  fields 52 

B.  Protection  against  grenades 57 

C.  Suggested  tactical  problem 60 

D.  Suggested  syllabus  for  division  bombing  school 62 

E.  Bibliography 64 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
WASHINGTON,  April  28,  1917. 

The  following  Notes  on  Grenade  Warfare  are  published  for 
the  information  of  all  concerned. 
(2582933-A,  A.  G.  O.) 

BY  OEDEB  OF  THE  SECEETAEY  OF  WAE  I 

H.  L.  SCOTT, 

Major  General,  Chief  of  Staff. 
OFFICIAL  : 

H.  P.  McCAIN, 

The  Adjutant  General. 

5 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


INTRODUCTORY. . 

The  exact  time  of  the  advent  of  hand  grenades  as  an  instru- 
ment of  war  is  uncertain,  but  is  known  to  date  back  many  cen- 
turies. History  records  their  use  under  the  name  of  "  grenades  " 
as  early  as  1536  at  the  siege  of  Aries.  The  Germans  fired  gren- 
ades from  their  muskets  at  the  siege  of  Stettin  in  1677.  Up 
to  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century  soldiers  were  regularly 
trained  in  the  throwing  of  hand  grenades,  and  were  called 
"  grenadiers."  At  first,  only  a  few  men  of  long  service  and 
marked  courage  in  each  regiment  were  selected  as  grenadiers; 
later  entire  companies  of  grenadiers  were  formed ;  and  later 
still  every  infantry  battalion  had  its  company  of  grenadiers, 
which,  in  the  different  armies  had  preference  over  the  other 
companies  at  parades  and  ceremonies,  even  long  after  they  had 
ceased  to  use  grenades. 

After  being  obsolete  for  a  century,  the  use  of  hand  grenades 
was  revived  by  their  employment  in  large  quantities  by  both 
sides  in  the  Russo-Japanese  war,  especially  in  fighting  at  close 
quarters  and  in  assaults  on  the  various  forts  around  Port 
Arthur.  Many  of  the  grenades  used  in  the  early  part  of  this 
war  were  improvised  on  the  field  of  battle,  but  the  success 
obtained  by  their  use  led  to  the  invention  of  many  new  standard 
types  and  their  subsequent  adoption  by  all  modern  armies,  in- 
cluding that  of  the  United  States. 

Modern  trench  warfare  is  much  like  a  long  siege,  with  fre- 
quent sorties.  In  the  present  European  war  the  grenade  is  a 
regular  part  of  the  equipment  of  all  infantry  soldiers,  and  all 
nations  have  established  special  schools  in  which  officers  and 
men  are  required  to  receive  instruction  in  their  construction  and 
use. 

In  a  recent  address  to  his  troops  on  the  field  of  a  great  vic- 
tory, after  six  months  of  fighting  by  his  army,  the  commanding 
general  said,  in  effect,  that  the  modern  infantryman  is  more  a 
grenadier  than  a  rifleman,  and  added  that,  in  all  the  glorious 
fighting  on  this  field,  the  grenade  has  done  more  than  the  rifle. 
One  of  this  general's  division  commanders  gave  it  as  his  opinion 

7 


8  NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

that  the  rifle  as  an  offensive  weapon  in  trench  warfare  has  been 
entirely  supplanted  by  the  hand  grenade,  the  poniard,  and  the 
pistol;  and  that,  in  the  present  methods  of  attack,  the  advance 
should  be  ccvavod  by  well-trained  grenadiers,  abundantly  sup- 
plied with  hand  grenades,  the  following  infantry  to  be  armed 
with  ^renaoes  as  wall  as  with  rifles  and  bayonets. 

Grenades  have  come  to  be  universally  regarded  as  indis- 
pensable both  in  attack  and  defense.  The  reason  for  this  is 
to  be  found  not  only  in  the  destructive  effect  of  the  grenade 
but  also  in  that  feature  of  modern  warfare  which  may  be  de- 
scribed as  a  tendency  to  get  back  to  primitive  methods  of  fight- 
ing, imposed  by  the  close  quarters  in  which  trench  warfare 
must  of  necessity  be  conducted.  At  critical  moments  in  the 
trenches  a  man  will  prefer  a  bomb  or  hand  grenade  which  he 
can  throw  toward  his  approaching  enemy  rather  than  a  rifle 
which  he  must  first  aim  at  his  opponent.  The  effect  of  a  hand 
grenade  is  much  greater  and  more  widespread  than  that  of  a 
rifle  or  pistol  shot.  A  shower  of  hand  grenades  thrown  at  troops 
advancing  to  an  attack  and  exploding  with  much  noise  and  de- 
stroying their  lines  has  a  very  considerable  moral  as  well  as 
physical  effect,  and  may  even  stop  the  attack  before  it  can  be 
pressed  home.  The  attacking  troops,  in  the  critical  moment 
just  before  they  reach  their  opponents,  may  be  thrown  into  con- 
fusion and  hence  become  unable  to  aim  and  fire  their  rifles  ac- 
curately ;  in  such  cases  the  hand  grenade  is  for  them  a  most 
efficient  weapon.  Again,  firing  the  rifle  while  marching  is  often 
impossible,  especially  for  those  in  rear  of  the  first  files  when 
marching  in  column,  as  in  an  advance  through  communicating 
or  other  trenches ;  but  hand  grenades  may  always  be  thrown.  It 
is  also  to  be  remembered  that  the  high-angle  fire  of  hand 
grenades  may  be  used  in  the  trenches  when  no  target  for  rifle- 
men can  be  seen.  When  artillery  fire  can  no  longer  be  used 
because  of  the  close  proximity  of  the  fighting  lines,  hand 
grenades  may  be  used  to  great  advantage. 

Grenades  are  not  only  thrown  by  hand,  where  their  limiting 
range  is  about  50  yards,  but  are  also  fired  from  the  ordinary 
infantry  rifle  at  ranges  from  50  to  about  320  yards,  and  from 
various  projecting  devices  based  on  such  ancient  weapons  as 
the  onager,  ballista,  sling,  and  catapult,  known  from  the  earliest 
antiquity.  The  Bible  tells  us  that  eight  centuries  before  our 
era-^-that  is,  about  2,700  years  ago — Ozias  provided  the  walls 
of  Jerusalem  with  "  machines  constructed  by  a  very  wise  engi- 
neer to  throw  bolts  and  large  stones/' 


PART  I. 

SELECTION,  TRAINING,  AND   ORGANIZATION 
OF  GRENADIERS. 


GENERAL. 

All  officers  and  men  of  organizations  trained  to  fight  on  foot 
should  be  instructed  in  the  construction  and  use  of  hand  and 
rifle  grenades.  This  instruction  must  be  progressive  for  indi- 
viduals as  well  as  for  organizations. 

In  the  beginning  a  small  number  of  specially  selected  officers, 
noncommissioned  officers,  and  privates  of  each  regiment  should 
be  sent  to  the  grenade  school  to  take  a  15-day  course  of  instruc- 
tion, in  order  to  fit  them  to  act  as  instructors  for  their  several 
organizations.  Upon  successfully  completing  the  course  at  the 
grenade  school  amf  receiving  their  certificates  to  this  effect, 
this  detachment  should  immediately  be  returned  to  their  regi- 
ments to  begin  the  selection,  organization,  and  training  of  gren 
adiers,  as  prescribed  hereafter. 

At  Aldershot  the  course  is  10  days  for  classes  composed  of  40 
officers  and  40  noncommissioned  officers,  who,  after  graduation, 
are  returned  to  their  battalions  as  instructors.  A  proposed 
syllabus  for  a  course  of  training  is  given  in  Appendix  E. 

The  Canadian  Grenade  School,  at  Shorncliffe,  England,  trains 
60  officers,  60  noncommissioned  officers,  and  300  privates  per 
month  in  the  handling,  throwing,  and  care  of  grenades ;  the  care 
and  use  of  explosives ;  the  making  of  bombs ;  the  use  of  trench 
mortars,  spring  guns,  catapults,  and  other  appliances;  and  in 
the  latest  methods  of  trench  fighting.  The  course  of  study 
lasts  one  month  for  officers  and  noncommissioned  officers ;  the 
first  two  weeks  as  pupils  and  the  last  two  as  instructors  of  the 
privates  in  the  school.  The  course  for  privates  is  two  weeks. 

Germany   is  said   to  have   introduced   the  grenade   into   the 
present  war,  and  both  in  her  recruit  depots  and  her  rest  billets 
96839°— 17 2  9 


10          NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

behind  the  lines  the  men  are  constantly  trained  and  exercised 
in  bombing.  The  German  ideal  is  to  have  every  infantry 
soldier  a  trained  grenadier. 

SELECTION   OF  GRENADIERS. 

All  efforts  should  at  first  be  directed  to  providing  one  thor- 
oughly trained  grenadier  squad  in  each  company.  Under  the 
supervision  of  all  officers  of  the  company,  the  men  should  be 
assembled  and  tested  in  throwing  by  any  straight-arm  method 
the  individual  chooses  to  adopt.  If  no  dummy  bombs  or  gren- 
ades are  available,  small  sand  bags  or  pebbles  weighing  about 
1.5  pounds  may  be  used  as  a  substitute.  The  men  should  be 
required  to  throw  at  a  mark,  and  those  who  attain  the  greatest 
accuracy  and  distance  should  be  told  off  for  further  tests. 
This  party  should  then  be  tested  in  the  prescribed  methods  of 
throwing  hand  grenades,  and  those  showing  the  greatest  apti- 
tude should  be  selected  to  the  number  required  from  each  com- 
pany for  training.  This  number  should  be  about  double  that 
needed  for  service  in  order  to  provide  for  the  inevitable  elimina- 
tions during  training  and  for  substitutes  to  replace  casualties  in 
the  early  periods  of  service. 

The  smallest  number  of  men  required  to*  carry  out  an  opera- 
tion with  grenades  is  6 — 2  riflemen,  2  carriers,  and  2  throwers. 
The  instruction  squad  should  therefore  consist  of  12  men.  There 
should  be  1  noncommissioned  officer  and  1  spare  man  for  each 
6  men,  making  a  complete  grenadier  squad  of  2  noncommissioned 
officers  and  14  men.  Each  and  every  man  requires  individual 
instruction  and  supervision,  and  larger  squads  would  make  this 
difficult,  if  not  impossible. 

The  number  of  squads  per  company  must  be  increased  from 
1  to  about  4,  as  opportunity  offers.  The  latest  reports  (1917) 
indicate  that  of  the  194  men  in  a  French  infantry  company,  4 
noncommissioned  officers  and  28  men  use  hand  grenades,  while 
24  men  use  rifle  grenades.  Each  company  of  Canadian  infantry 
has  32  men  in  its  grenadier  detachment. 

The  men  finally  chosen,  as  indicated  above,  should  be  those 
showing,  the  greatest  natural  aptitude  for  the  service  and  duties 
required,  which  aptitude  it  is  intended  to  develop  by  training. 
They  should,  in  addition,  be  intelligent,  physically  fit  for  the 
hard  manual  labor  involved,  full  of  initiative  and  resource,  and 
cool  in  emergencies.  This  latter  characteristic  can  only  be  dis- 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.          11 

covered  when  a  crisis  occurs,  and  any  man  failing  to  meet  this 
crucial  test  should  at  once  be  returned  to  duty  with  his  com- 
pany. It  will  often  be  found  that  the  most  unlikely  looking 
men  are  those  who  rise  to  the  occasion  in  emergencies. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  grenade  fighting  in  the  trenches, 
often  develops  into  a  duel  between  single  squads  or  even  single 
grenadiers,  and  the  side  which  shows  the  most  resource  and 
cunning,  and  whose  grenadiers  can  throw  to  the  greatest  dis- 
tance and  with  the  most  accuracy  has  the  best  chance  of 
winning. 

TRAINING   OF    GRENADIERS. 

The  training  of  grenadiers  must  not  be  too  much  restricted  by 
hard  and  fast  rules.  Instructors  must  be  constantly  on  the 
alert  for  new  methods  of  training  and  operation,  and  nothing 
contained  herein  is  to  be  construed  as  limiting  in  any  way  the 
initiative  and  originality  of  any  officer  or  man,  so  long  as  safety 
is  secured  and  satisfactory  results  are  obtained. 

The  general  principle  to  be  followed  in  training  grenadiers 
is  to  first  give  the  individual  a  thorough  knowledge  of  his  duties 
and  then  to  teach  him  by  progressive  methods  to  act  in  combina- 
tion with  his  comrades ;  that  is,  the  course  of  instruction  is 
divided  Into  two  parts :  1.  Individual  instruction;  and,  2.  Squad 
instruction. 

1.  INDIVIDUAL  INSTRUCTION. 

The  men  selected  from  each  company  are  grouped  into  squads 
of  14  men  and  2  noncommissioned  officers.  The  senior  non- 
commissioned officer  is  in  charge  of  the  squad  and  is  responsible 
for  its  training,  under  the  supervision  of  the  regimental  bomb- 
ing officer,  who  is  assisted  by  one  of  the  company  officers. 

All  training  is  carried  out  under  the  strictest  discipline.  A 
careless  grenadier  is  a  source  of  danger  to  himself  and  to  his 
comrades.  Slackness  leads  to  indifferent  work  in  the  field,  and 
nothing  but  discipline  and  courage  can  bring  to  success  the 
work  of  grenadiers  in  actual  fighting.  Any  display  of  care- 
lessness should  result  in  the  immediate  relief  of  the  individual 
from  the  grenadier  squad. 

All  practice  must  be  conducted  under  service  conditions  with 
the  men,  except  the  throwers,  fully  armed  and  equipped,  less 


12          NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

the  pack.  The  throwers  do  not  ordinarily  carry  the  rifle,  but 
are  armed  with  a  pistol  and  a  knife  for  their  personal  protec- 
tion. In  the  case  of  carriers  or  other  men  who  carry  special 
apparatus,  such  as  the  periscope  or  a  throwing  device,  the 
•rifles  should  be  slung  vertically  over'  and  behind  the  left 
shoulder. 

The  instruction  is  both  theoretical  and  practical,  and  these 
two  branches  should  be  carried  on  simultaneously,  the  one 
serving  as  a  relief  to  the  fatigue  induced  by  the  other.  The 
following  is  taught  by  lectures,  illustrated  at  first  by  photo- 
graphs and  later  by  actually  taking  apart  the  service  grenades, 
and  by  taking  the  positions  and  going  through  the  motions  in- 
dicated as  most  suitable  for  throwing : 

(a)  The  precautions  to  be  observed  in  handling  explosives  in 
general,  and  of  grenades  in  particular.1 

(6)   The  general  principles  of  detonating  explosives.1 

(c)  The  method  of  making  and  using  an  improvised  bomb 
(tin  can,  bottle,  iron  pipe). 

(d)  The  classification,  mechanism,  and  use  of  all  the  differ- 
ent service  models  of  bombs,  hand  grenades,  and  rifle  grenades 
in  our  own  and  foreign  armies. 

(e)  The  mechanics  of  the  throw  which  gives  the  greatest 
accuracy  and  distance,  with  the  least  fatigue. 

(/)  The  construction  and  uses  of  the  periscope  in  grenade 
warfare. 

In  these  lectures  special  emphasis  should  be  laid  on  the  fact 
that,  in  the  hands  of  an  intelligent  and  careful  man,  a  grenade 
is  a  perfectly  safe  and  efficient  weapon ;  but,  in  the  hands  of  an 
ignorant  or  careless  man,  it  is  a  danger  to  himself  and  to  his 
comrades.  Any  man  doing  careless  or  foolish  things  with  ex- 
plosives should  be  returned  to  his  company  at  once. 

The  physical  condition  of  the  men  should  be  developed  to  the 
highest  possible  degree  by  suitable  exercises  related  to  the  work 
of  grenadiers.  Among  these  exercises  throwing  grenades  for 
distance  and  accuracy,  barricading,  and  bayonet  fighting  at 
close  quarters  should  have  a  prominent  place.  At  the  same 
time  the  men  should  practice  correction  of  the  throwing  by  the 
use  of  the  periscope,  and  should  be  drilled  in  the  movements  re- 
quired in  storming  and  clearing  trenches. 

1  See  Weaver's  Explosives,  and  Primer  of  Explosives  issued  by  the 
Bureau  of  Mines. 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.  13 

SCOPE  OF  INDIVIDUAL  INSTRUCTION. 

(A)   THE  PRECAUTIONS  TO  BE  OBSERVED  IN  HANDLING  EXPLOSIVES 
IN  GENERAL  AND  OF  GRENADES  IN  PARTICULAR. 

This  should  be  taught  by  means  of  simple  lectures  on  the  com- 
position, characteristics,  uses,  packing,  shipment,  handling,  stor- 
age, and  preservation  of  all  the  usual  military  and  commercial 
explosives,  and  of  grenades,  samples  of  all  of  which  should  be 
shown,  with  special  reference  to  their  advantages  for  use  in 
improvised  and  service  grenades,  and  the  precautions  to  be  ob- 
served in  such  work.  Emphasize  the  fact  that  the  danger  in 
handling  and  using  explosives  and  grenades  is  a  direct  function 
of  the  ignorance  or  carelessness  of  the  men  doing  the  work.1 

Instructors  are  cautioned  that  the  greatest  care  must  be 
taken  in  handling  explosives,  and  especially  when  used  in  live 
grenades,  and  they  must  use  every  effort  to  insure  that  familiar- 
ity with  explosives  does  not  lead  to  carelessness  in  handling 
them.  Adequate  supervision  must  be  insisted  upon  at  all  times, 
and  commanding  officers  will  be  held 'responsible  that  officers 
competent  to  act  as  instructors  are  present,  and  that  every 
possible  precaution  is  taken  whenever  live  grenades  are  being 
handled. 

PRECAUTIONS. 

The  following  precautions  are  among  those  which  must  always 
be  observed : 

1.  Do  not  permit  the  use  of  live  grenades  until  men  are  thor- 
oughly trained  in  handling  dummy  grenades.     Untrained  men 
are  very  erratic  and  may  injure  themselves  and  the  bystanders. 

2.  If  the  grenade  is  "tossed,"  swinging  in  a  vertical  plane, 
great  care  must  be  taken  to  see  that  it  does  not  hit  the  ground 
or  other  object  during  the  swing. 

3.  Do  not  permit  the  throwing  of  a  live  grenade  unless  cover 
is  at  hand  behind  which  the  thrower  and  spectators  may  seek 
shelter  before  the  grenade  strikes  tlie  ground.     It  is  unsafe  to 
remain  in  the  open  when  a  grenade  explodes. 

4.  In  handling  live  grenades  always  hold  the  body  of  the 
grenade  in  the  hand,  and  never  lift  it  by  means  of  the  rope  or 
streamer,  which  sometimes  breaks,  particularly  after  the  gren- 
ade has  been  thrown. 

5.  Do  not  arm  the  grenade  until  the  moment  for  firing. 

1  See  Chapter  XXV,  Coast  Artillery  Drill  Regulations,  1914  ;  Engineer 
Field  Manual ;  and  Ordnance  Pamphlet  No.  1741,  1917. 


14          NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

(B)  THE  GENERAL  PRINCIPLES  OF  DETONATING  EXPLOSIVES. 

Simple  lectures  on  the  various  types  of  military  and  com- 
mercial detonators  and  firing  devices,  fuses  of  all  kinds,  prim- 
ers, percussion  caps,  etc.  The  instruction  should  include  the 
method  of  ignition  employed  for  each  class  of  detonators  and 
their  application  to  the  different  kinds  of  explosives  described 
above,  together  with  the  precautions  to  be  observed  in  handling 
and  using  each  kind  of  firing  device  to  prevent  accidents,  as 
well  as  failures  to  fire,  especially  when  used  in  grenades. 
Methods  of  arming  and  detonating  or  firing  each  kind  of  service 
and  improvised  grenades. 

(C)  THE  METHOD  OF  MAKING  AND  USING  IMPROVISED  GRENADES. 

Explanation  and  illustration  of  making  grenades  on  the  field 
of  battle,  including  containers  used  (tin  cans,  bottles,  iron  pipe, 
blocks  of  explosive  bound  up  with  nails  (see  fig.  1),  etc.)  ; 
the  explosives  most  likely  to  be  found  available  (commercial 
dynamite,  blasting  powder,  gun  cotton,  trinitrotoluol)  ;  and  the 
fuses  which  will  probably  be  at  hand  for  firing  the  same  (slow 
match,  percussion  caps,  fire  crackers,  toy  torpedoes,  etc.). 
Include  in  this  the  making  of  small  improvised  mines  for  blow- 
ing in  trench  walls  and  brief  instructions  for  demolitions.  ( See 
Engineer  Field  Manual.) 

(D)  THE  CLASSIFICATION,  MECHANISM,  AND  USE  OF  ALL  THE 
DIFFERENT    SERVICE    MODELS    OF    BOMBS,    HAND    AND    RIFLE 
GRENADES  IN  OUR  OWN  AND  FOREIGN  ARMIES. 

This  should  include  a  detailed  explanation  and  demonstration 
of  the  working  of  all  available  models  of  service  grenades,  first 
by  showing  the  photographs  and  then  by  taking  apart  and 
reassembling  the  grenade  by  the  instructor  and  afterwards  by 
each  man  of  the  squad. 

According  to  range,  grenades  may  be  divided  into  three 
classes : 

1.  Hand  grenades,  with  a  maximum  range  of  about  50  yards. 
Among  these  we  find  explosive  grenades,  poison  gas  grenades, 
tear-producing  grenades,  suffocating  grenades,  incendiary  and 
smoke-producing  grenades. 

2.  Rifle  grenades,  with  a  range  of  50  to  320  yards,  and  of  the 
classes  indicated  above. 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


15 


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16  NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

3.  Trench-gun  grenades,  with  ranges  from  200  to  800  yards, 
depending  upon  the  gun,  and  of  the  same  classes  as  indicated 
above. 

Hand  grenades  are  in  general  made  up  of  a  body  or  explosive 
box  containing  a  certain  quantity  .of  explosive  and  an  ignition 
or  detonating  device. 

On  the  basis  of  their  tactical  employment  hand  grenades  may 
be  divided  into  two  classes — 

(1)  The  defensive  grenade  generally  has  a  cast-iron  body, 
which,  when  the  grenade  explodes,  breaks  up  into  fragments  of 
sufficient  size  and  weight  to  seriously  or  mortally  wound  a  man 
within  a  radius  of  at  least  30  yards.     With  this  grenade  an 
impassable  barrage  can  be  produced  by  grenadiers  15  yards 
apart,  but  this  grenade  can  only  be  used  when  the  grenadier  is 
protected  by  trenches  or  other  cover  from  the  fragments  of  his 
own  grenades. 

(2)  The  offensive  grenade  generally  has  a  body  made  of  sheet 
metal  or  other  material,  which,   when  the  grenade  explodes, 
does  not  produce  fragments  which  will  cause  injuries  at  close 
range.     These  grenades  are  effective,  due  to  the  force  of  the 
explosion  or  blast,  within  a  radius  of  about  7  yards.     An  im- 
passable barrage  is  established  if  the  grenadiers  are  about  10 
yards  apart.     This  grenade  can  be  thrown  far  enough  so  that 
there  is  no  danger  to  the   grenadier   throwing  it   even  when 
without  cover. 

The  British  no\v  use  only  the  defensive  'type  of  grenade, 
while  the  French  have  both  the  offensive  and  defensive  types. 

On  the  basis  ofH  method  of  ignition  hand  grenades  may  be 
divided  into  two  types — 

(1)  The  percussion  grenade  is  arranged  to  explode  immedi- 
ately on  striking  the  ground.     This  type  has  the  disadvantage 
in  trench  warfare  of  being  more  dangerous  to  the  thrower  and 
his  comrades,  since  the  accidental  strike  or  graze  on  the  trench 
or  the  clothing  or  equipment  of  the  thrower  may  produce  an 
explosion  ;  and  besides  this,  unless  the  grenade1  strikes  directly 
in  the  hostile  trench,  it  may  explode  without  doing  any  dam- 
age ;  that  is,  the  men  in  the  trench  will  be  protected. 

(2)  The  time-fuse  grenade  is  arranged  so  that  the  time  train 
is  ignited  by  the  striking  of  a  match  or  the  firing  of  a  primer 
before  the  grenade  is  thrown,  or  at  the  instant  of  its  departure 
from  the  hand.     The  advantage  of  this  type  of  grenade  lies  in 
the  fact  that  it  is  safer  to  use,  and  also  especially  because, 
even  if  striking  in  front  of  the  trench  or  shelter,  it  may  roll 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.          17 

into  it  before  exploding  and  thus  injure  the  personnel  that  are 
under  cover. 

In  order  to  avoid  confusion  in  joint  attacks  an  agreement  has 
recently  been  entered  into  by  the  French  and  British  Armies 
that  none^but  time-fuse  grenades  will  be  used  in  either  service. 
Percussion  grenades  are  largely  used  in  the  Italian  service. 

The  instruction  under  this  heading  should  enable  each  man 
to  use  any  grenade  without  danger  to  himself  or  to  his  com- 
rades and  should  give  him  the  confidence  that  he  can  do  so. 

Special  attention  should  be  given  to  the  following  points : 

1.  Every  grenade  is  very  dangerous  if  handled  without  pre- 
caution. 

2.  The  detonator  or  firing  device  is  dangerous  by  itself. 

3.  If  the  fuse  takes  fire  accidentally,  it  should  be  thrown  as 
far  away  as  possible.     As  soon  as  a  fuse  is  fixed  to  a  grenade, 
all  rough  handling  must  be  avoided. 

4.  Precaution  with  live  grenades  which  fail  to  explode.    After 
each  exercise  in  throwing  live  grenades,  those  which  fail  to 
explode  must  be  disposed  of  in  such  a  way  as  to  avoid  danger 
to  all  concerned. 

In  the  case  of  grenades  with  time  fuses,  at  least  10  minutes 
must  be  allowed  to  elapse  before  any  person  is  permitted  on 
the  range  to  hunt  for  unexploded  grenades.  At  the  end  of  this 
period,  time-fuse  grenades  may  be  considered  harmless  and  will 
be  carefully  collected  into  a  small  pit  in  the  ground.  A  small 
charge  of  explosive,  primed  with  about  10  feet  of  time  fuse, 
will  be  placed  in  the  center  of  the  pile  of  grenades  in  the  pit. 
A  tamping  of  dirt  will  be  placed  over  the  pile  of  grenades,  and 
the  charge  fired,  care  being  taken  to  see  that  a  complete  detona- 
tion of  all  grenades  results.  When  ready  to  explode  the  charge, 
all  the  personnel  should  be  under  cover,  and  a  noncommissioned 
officer  should  light  the  fuse. 

In  the  case  of  grenades  with  percussion  fuses,  no  attempt  will 
be  made  to  move  the  unexploded  grenades,  which  must  be  de- 
stroyed where  they  lie.  A  small  charge  of  explosive  should  be 
placed  in  immediate  contact  with  each  grenade  to  be  destroyed, 
without  disturbing  the  position  of  the  grenade.  The  charge  is 
fired  with  a  time  fuse,  after  covering  the  charge  and  the  grenade 
with  a  few  shovelfuls  of  earth,  without  tamping.  In  case  of  a 
misfire  of  the  explosive  charge,  a  wait  of  10  minutes  is  re- 
quired before  making  a  second  attempt  to  destroy  the  grenade. 
96839°— 17 3 


18          NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

It  is  expressly  forbidden  to  try  to  remove  the  primer  from  an 
unexploded  grenade  by  unscrewing  the  cap. 

No  grenade  which  has  failed  will  again  be  thrown  or  fired. 
( See  Ordnance  Department  Pamphlet  No.  1741. ) 
The  description  and  methods  of  handling  United  States  gren- 
ades will  be  found  in  the  pamphlets  on  the  different  types  issued 
by  the  Ordnance  Department,  and  these  instructions  should  be 
carefully  studied  and  accurately  followed  by  all  concerned. 

(E)  THE  MECHANICS  OF  THE  THROW  WHICH  GIVES  THE  GREATEST 
ACCURACY  AND  DISTANCE. 

Grenade  throwing  is  the  most  important  branch  of  grenadier 
training,  and  a  very  high  standard  of  accuracy  is  required,  for, 
besides  the  advantage  it  gives  in  combat,  it  diminishes  the  risks 
of  accidents  and  the  consumption  of  grenades.  The  moral  effect 
of  a  grenade  bursting  exactly  in  a  hostile  trench  is  added  to  its 
destructive  effect.  Follow  accurately  the  prescribed  methods 
of  priming  and  throwing ;  work  rapidly  but  without  hurry, 
calmly  and  coolly. 

Careful  practice  on  sound  lines  is  essential  to  success,  and  a 
considerable  portion  of  the  time  available  for  training  must  be 
devoted  to  it.  The  difficulties  in  throwing  are  greatly  aug- 
mented when,  as  is  usually  the  case,  throwing  is  to  be  done 
under  complete  cover,  and  according  to  directions  given  by  an 
observer.  The  men  throwing  must  be  made  to  understand 
clearly  at  the  beginning  of  their  training  that  nothing  can  excuse 
inaccurate  throwing,  and  instructors  must  not  be  satisfied  until 
each  man  can  throw  from  behind  cover  and  in  obedience  to  the 
directions  of  an  observer,  missiles  of  varying  weight  and  size 
into  a  specified  trench  from  any  reasonable  distance  and  in  any 
direction. 

In  all  -practice  involving  the  use  of  cover  the  men  must  work 
in  pairs,  one  observing  and  the  other  throwing.  The  training  of 
the  observer  is  of  the  greatest  importance,  as  he  must  be  able 
to  give  distance  and  direction  quickly  and  accurately.  He  must 
give  his  corrections  in  positive  terms,  in  the  form  of  short,  sharp, 
clear  words  of  command,  and  the  thrower  must  be  ready  and 
able  to  understand  and  obey.  The  observer  must  learn  to  use  the 
periscope,  and  should  operate  it  throughout  the  training. 

Simple  lectures  should  be  given  on  throwing  under  different 
conditions,  beginning  on  open  ground  and  then  in  trenches, 
standing,  kneeling,  and  lying  down.  Special  emphasis  should 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.  19 

be  given  to  the  necessity  of  taking  cover  from  our  own  grenades, 
showing  by  diagram  the  radius  of  action  and  direction  of  flight 
of  fragments  and  balls.  Illustrate  this  talk  by  moving  pictures, 
photographs,  and  then  by  taking  up  the  prescribed  positions  for 
throwing ;  but  permit  any  safe  method  of  throwing  which  prom- 
ises good  results  in  individual  cases. 

Methods  of  throwing  vary  not  only  with  different  individuals 
but  also  with  different  types  of  grenades.  Experience  has  shown 
that  accuracy  is  harder  to  obtain  at  short  ranges  than  at  the 
maximum  range  obtainable  without  undue  exertion.  It  has  been 
found  that  the  accuracy  of  the  throw  is  surprisingly  effected  by 
the  presence  of  an  actual  wall  in  place  of  a  hypothetical  wall 
such  as  may  be  made  by  a  string  or  a  piece  of  board.  Therefore 
a  large  part  of  the  training  should  be  in  throwing  at  ranges  of 
from  15  to  20  yards,  and  over  actual  parapets. 

Include  the  method  of  holding  the  hand  grenade,  of  arming  or 
setting  it  for  firing,  and  the  precautions  to  be  observed  for 
safety  to  our  own  forces,  and  to  secure  the  greatest  damage  to 
the  enemy.  The  grenade  must  never  be  thrown  horizontally. 
Its  fire  must  be  plunging.  In  case  ignition  is  not  apparent,  con- 
sider the  grenade  ignited,  and  throw  at  once,  without  delay. 

Precision  in  throwing  gives  a  great  advantage,  besides  reduc- 
ing the  risk  of  accidents  and  the  consumption  of  grenades. 
The  normal  method  of  throwing  the  French  hand  grenade  in 
the  open  is  shown  in  the  following  figures : 

Initial  position  (fig.  2). — Aim  at  the  objective  with  the  ex- 
tended left  arm,  with  the  grenade  in  the  right  hand  and  the 
right  arm  falling  naturally  by  -the  side.  The  shoulders,  the 
extended  left  arm,  and  the  objective  should  be  in  the  same 
vertical  plane. 

First  motion  (fig.  3). — With  the  left  arm  pointed  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  objective,  carry  the  right  hand  up  to  the  left,  for  the 
purpose  of  arming  or  igniting  the  grenade,  if  necessary,  and  for 
starting  the  swing. 

Second  motion  (fig.  -'/). — With  the  left  arm  pointed  in  the 
direction  of  the  objective,  swing  the  right  arm  downward  and 
backward,  as  far  as  possible,  in  a  vertical  plane,  keeping  the 
eyes  on  the  grenade  to  avoid  hitting  the  ground  or  wall,  at  the 
same  time  extending  the  left  leg  and  bending  the  right  knee. 

Third  motion  (fig.  5). — Cast  the  eyes  at  the  objective,  or  at 
the  aiming  point,  if  throwing  from  a  trench. 

Fourth  motion  (fig.  6). — With  the  right  arm  describe  the  arc 
of  a  circle  in.  a  vertical  plane,  the  right  shoulder  and  the  body 


20  NOTES   ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


21 


22          NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

following  the  movement  of  the  arm,  extending  the  right  leg  and 
bending  the  left  knee.  The  left  arm  is  swept  vigorously  down- 
ward and  backward,  following  the  left  shoulder,  which  is 
sharply  "refused." 

The  finish  (fig.  7).— Finish  with  the  entire  weight  of  the 
body  in  the  throw.  The  grenade  thrown  under  these  conditions 
should  fly  in  the  direction  in  which  the  left  arm  was  pointed, 
and  the  maximum  range  should  be  obtained.  The  right  arm 
acts  like  a  catapult.  The  time  of  the  throw  is  about  two 
seconds. 

(F)  THE  CONSTEUCTION  AND  USE  OF  THE  PEKISCOPE  IN  GRENADE 
WARFARE. 

Describe  and  illustrate  by  diagrams,  photographs,  and  actual 
service  periscopes  the  principles  of  construction  and  the  use  of 
the  trench  periscope  in  correcting  the  throwing  of  grenades  in 
order  to  place  them  accurately  on  the  target.  Show  how  to  im- 
provise simple  but  effective  periscopes  and  trench  mirrors  from 
the  material  likely  to  be  available  on  the  field  of  battle,  and  how 
to  make  simple  repairs  to  all  periscopes. 

Give  each  man  in  turn  practical  instruction  in  the  use  of  the 
periscope  in  correcting  first  for  direction  ;  then  for  distance ;  then 
for  both  combined,  or  for  accuracy.  This  should  be  continued 
until  each  man  is  thoroughly  proficient,  and  the  best  men  should 
be  selected  for  permanent  observers  or  range  correctors.  Keep 
in  mind  that  in  emergency  any  man  in  the  squad  must  be  able 
to  replace  any  other  man. 

PHYSICAL  INSTRUCTON  OF  GRENADIERS. 

To  develop  the  physical  condition  of  the  men,  the  day's  work 
should  begin  with  calisthenic  exercises  and  short  talks  on  per- 
sonal hygiene.  This  should  be  followed  by  exercises  in  throw- 
ing, climbing  out  of  and  running  along  trenches,  bayonet  fight- 
ing, and  other  movements  relating  to  grenade  fighting. 

NOTES   ON   THROWING. 

Fix  the  eyes  intently  in  the  direction  in  which  the  grenade  is 
to  fall;  judge  the  distance -carefully,  as  upon  that  depends  the 
trajectory  of  the  grenade  in  flight. 

Throwing  practice  for  distance  and  accuracy  should  be  made 
progressive,  starting  in  the  open  with  dummy  or  improvised 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.          23 

dummy  grenades.  Accuracy  is  considered  of  first  importance, 
and  the  distance  lengthened  as  the  training  is  continued.  The 
live  grenade  should  be  used  in  practice  only  where  cover  is 
available  and  by  skilled  and  careful  men.  Men  should  be  in- 
structed to  hold  the  grenade  in  such  a  manner  that  it  is  not 
necessary  to  change  the  hold  after  the  grenade  is  set  for  firing. 
This  practice  should  always  be  given  on  the  instruction  field 
laid  out  as  described  hereafter. 

Throw  only  a  few  yards,  say  10  yards,  at  first,  using  this  dis- 
tance 10  or  15  times  in  order  to  teach  the  man  to  let  go  of  the 
grenade  properly.  If  he  throws  with  full  force  the  first  time,  he 
will  handle  the  grenade  so  convulsively  that  he  will  let  go  of  it 
at  the  wrong  instant,  and  hence  will  throw  it  too  high  or  too 
low.  This  is  a  very  bad  habit,  and  one  which  is  hard  to  elimi- 
nate. Let  the  grenade  go  when  the  hand  is  at  the  highest  point, 
allowing  it  to  leave  the  hand  without  a  shock,  and  be  sure  to 
follow  through  with  the  body. 

Throwing  practice  should  be  given  in  short  periods,  and  the 
intervals  used  to  give  talks  on  other  subjects  of  grenade  in- 
struction. 

Many  men  hesitate  to  use  grenades,  and  care  must  be  taken 
to  give  them  confidence;  for  this  reason  begin  with  dummy 
grenades,  then  use  grenades  with  fuses  only,  and  finally  use  live 
grenades.  At  first  long-time  fuses  should  be  used,  say,  7-second 
fuses,  and  the  men  should  be  required  to  count  while  throwing ; 
thus,  1,  2,  3  (throw  the  grenade),  4,  5,  6,  7  (the  grenade  ex- 
plodes). Later  on  the  fuse  should  be  cut  to' 4  seconds;  the 
standard  throw  in  the  open  occupies  about  2  seconds. 

BAYONET  FIGHTING.  • 

Special  instruction  in  the  use  of  the  bayonet  is  essential  for 
grenadiers.  The  usual  bayonet  instruction  given  to  all  soldiers 
\vill  accustom  them  to  the  use  and  balance  of  the  weapon  and 
teach  the  necessary  movements.  This,  however,  is  not  sufficient 
for  the  training  of  a  grenadier,  but  must  be  supplemented  by 
practice  in  narrow  trenches  against  living  opponents.  In  trench 
warfare  grenadiers  will  fight  in  inclosed  and  narrow  spaces, 
where  shock  tactics  are  impossible.  Methods  in  bayonet  fighting 
similar  to  those  of  a  swordsman  are  required,  with  a  perfect 
combination  of  eyes,  hands,  and  feet.  Practice  must  be  designed 
to  develop  ability  and  speed  at  close  quarters.  Contests  should 
be  arranged  between  men  of  the  grenadier  squad,  and  the  most 


24          NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

proficient  men  should  be  selected  as  bayonet  men.  The  men 
must  be  reminded  that  the  rifles  should  always  be  loaded  and 
that  shooting  is  often  possible  and  may  be  the  best  means  of 
acting  effectively  in  certain  circumstances. 

BARRIER  AND  BARRICADE  MAKING. 

Men  must  be  skilled  in  the  rapid  making  and  filling  of  sand- 
bags, and  must  be  able  to  quickly  construct  bomb-proof  barriers 
with  any  available  material.  Instructors  will  indicate  the  best 
positions  and  train  their  men  to  block  up  a  trench,  using  avail- 
able cover  and  working  against  time.  In  building  with  sand- 
bags, which  must  always  be  properly  tied,  the  bags  should  be 
laid  in  alternate  layers  of  headers  and  stretchers,  and 'the  struc- 
ture made  as  solid  as  possible.  The  following  exercises  are 
suggested : 

1.  Filling  sandbags  against  time  with  large  and  then  with 
small  tools. 

2.  Filling  a  trench  with  sandbags. 

3.  Building  a  partial  barrier,   leaving  a  small   space  for  a 
passage. 

EXERCISES  IN  TRENCHES. 

Make  use  of  simple  lectures,  illustrated  by  diagrams,  photo- 
graphs, moving  pictures,  and  by  actual  trenches  on  the  ground, 
on  the  methods  of  obtaining  a  lodgment  in  the  hostile  trenches 
by  means~of  the  grenade ;  and  practice  running  along  and  climb- 
ing out  of  fire  and  communication  trenches  with  full  equipment, 
including  bags  or  baskets  of  grenades.  As  a  basis  for  subse- 
quent squad  instruction,  include  explanations  of  the  best  points 
of  attack ;  the  means  of  supply  of  grenades,  methods  of  carry- 
ing, and  depots  established;  necessity  of  silence  during  the 
operation,  communicating  by  signals,  etc.  Extend  this  instruc- 
tion and  practice  to  the  methods  of  clearing  the  enemy  out  of 
trenches  by  means  of  grenades,  after  a  lodgment  has  been 
effected ;  the  methods  of  examining  shelters ;  the  advance  from 
traverse  to  traverse ;  barricading ;  blowing  in  trench  walls,  etc. 

INSTRUCTION  OF  "EXPERT  GRENADIERS." 

In  addition  to  the  instruction  given  to  all  men  of  the  grena- 
dier squad,  expert  grenadiers  receive  a  special  course  and 
follow  a  more  thorough  training.  This  special  course  comprises : 

1.  The  making  up  of  explosive  charges. 

2.  The  making  of  dummy  grenades. 

3.  Utilization  of  foreign  grenades  and  detonators. 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.          25 

4.  The  use  of  trench  mortars  of  low  power. 

The  special  objects  of  the  course  for  expert  grenadiers  is  to 
make  expert  throwers  with  confidence  in  their  skill ;  to  provide 
men  capable  of  organizing  a  grenade  combat  and  carrying  it  to 
a  successful  outcome;  and  to  provide  leaders  among  the  men 
to  serve  as  examples  to  be  imitated  by  their  comrades. 

TESTS  FOR  APPOINTMENT  AS  GRENADIERS. 

At  the  completion  of  the  individual  training  period  company 
commanders  will  apply  the  following  tests  to  determine  the 
fitness  of  the  men  for  appointment  as  grenadiers: 

FIEST   TEST. 

Eliminating;  object,  verification  of  accuracy  in  throwing. 

1.  On  open  ground—  Throw  10  dummy  grenades  to  each  dis- 
tance. 

Position:  Standing,  35  yards;  kneeling,  25  yards;  prone,  15 
yards. 

Objective :  Trench  1  yard  wide,  1  yard  deep,  and  3  yards  long. 
Requirement :  Not  less  than  50  per  cent  of  hits. 

2.  From  a  trench. — Throw  10  grenades,  plunging  fire. 
Position :  Any ;  throwing  trench  6  feet  deep. 

Objective:  Trench  1  yard  wide,  1  yard  deep,  and  3  yards 
long ;  distance  30  yards ;  objective  not  seen  by  thrower. 
Requirement:  Not  less  than  50  per  cent  of  hits. 

3.  Over  traverses. — Throw  12  grenades  in  a  fire  trench. 
Position:  Standing. 

Objective:  First  6  grenades  over  1  traverse;  then  6,  over  2 
traverses ;  trench  6  feet  deep,  3  feed  wide ;  traverses  6  feet  high, 
9  feet  wide,  and  25  feet  apart. 

Requirement:  5  hits  out  of  each  series  of  6  throws. 

SECOND  TEST. 

1.  Observing. — The  men  work  in  pairs,  one  throwing  and  the 
other  observing ;  10  dummy  hand  grenades  are  thrown,  inac- 
curately at  -trenches,  at  distances  up  to  30  yards.    The  observer, 
using  a  periscope,  announces  the  corrections  after  each  throw. 

Requirement :  The  observer's  corrections  after  each  throw 
must  be  such  that  the  next  grenade,  if  thrown  as  directed,  would 
strike  in  the  objective  trench. 

2.  Knowledge   af  mechanism   of  grenades. — Take   apart   one 
grenade  of  each  service  model;  ask  6  questions  on  the  char- 

96839°— 17 4 


26          NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

acteristics  of  grenades,  detonators,  fuses,  and  primers;  6  ques- 
tions on  the  care  and  preservation,  supply  and  handling  of 
grenades ;  6  questions  on  the  tactics  of  grenade  fighting. 

Requirement :  Not  less  than  50  per  cent  of  correct  answers. 

3.  Throwing  exercises  as  in  paragraph  2  of  the  first  test,  but 
using  live  grenades. — Throw  6  grenades. 

Requirement :  Not  less  than  50  per  cent  of  hits. 

To  qualify  as  a  grenadier  the  candidate  must  make  a  general 
average  of  not  less  than  65  per  cent  on  the  entire  examination. 
The  first  test,  which  is  elementary,  may  be  repeated;  a  second 
failure  results  in  sending  the  candidate  back  to  the  instruction 
squad. 

The  candidate  for  "  expert  grenadier "  must  have  qualified 
and  have  the  rating  of  grenadier,  and  must  successfully  pass 
an  examination  consisting  of  10  questions  on  each  of  the  four 
subjects  prescribed  in  the  special  course  for  "  expert  grena- 
diers," with  an  average  of  not  less  than  65  per  cent.  In  addi- 
tion to  this  he  must,  in  the  opinion  of  the  examining  board,  have 
the  necessary  physical  and  mental  qualities  to  successfully  per- 
form the  responsible  duties  of  "  expert  grenadier." 

Grenadiers  and  expert  grenadiers  should  wear  a  special 
chevron  denoting  their  rank,  and  receive  extra  pay  on  the  basis 
prescribed  for  similar  qualifications  in  small-arm  practice. 

2.  SQUAD  INSTRUCTION. 

All  foot  troops  should  receive  sufficient  instruction  to  enable 
them  to  pass  readily  and  quickly  to  the  status  of  grenade  com- 
bat, and  the  special  instruction  given  to  the  grenade  squad 
should  enable  it  to  carry  out  any  of  the  special  technical 
operations  for  which  grenade  fighting  is  suitable. 

After  the  men  have  received  a  thorough  training  in  the  indi- 
vidual instruction  prescribed  above,  the  necessary  teamwork 
will  be  secured  by  squad  training. 

ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  SQUAD. 

The  men  of  the  grenadier  squad  are  divided  into  riflemen, 
throwers,  and  carriers,  according  to  the  duties  each  is  to  per- 
form; but  each  man  must  understand  thoroughly  the  duties  of 
each  of  the  others,  so  that  he  may  quickly  replace  any  of  his 
comrades  in  case  of  emergency.  There  is  probably  no  other 
operation  in  life  where  so  much  depends  on  efficient  teamwork. 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.  27 

DUTIES    OF   THE    DIFFERENT   MEMBERS    OF   THE    SQUAD. 

The  squad  commander. — The  commander  of  the  squad  is  re- 
sponsible for  its  organization,  training,  discipline,  and  leading 
in  combat.  He  assigns  the  men  to  duty  according  to  their  apti- 
tudes, directs  their  operations  in  combat,  organizes  the  relief'  of 
throwers  and  carriers,  and  supervises  the  supply  of  grenades. 

If  the  squad  be  acting  alone,  the  general  rule  for  the  squad 
commander  is  to  act  aggressively,  seizing  every  opportunity  to 
press  forward ;  if  this  is  impossible,  he  defends  the  ground  held, 
foot  by  foot,  piling  up  barricades. 

The  riflemen. — The  riflemen  must  be  chosen  from  the  men 
who  are  most  aggressive  and  alert,  and  must  be  good  shots  and 
handy  with  the  bayonet.  Their  duty  is,  in  general,  to  protect 
the  throwers. 

In  a  frontal  attack  in  the  open  they  move  on  both  flanks  and 
protect  the  throwers  by  rifle  fire. 

In  the  communication  trenches  the  riflemen  precede  the 
throwers  and  move  around  the  angles  of  the  trenches  and  the 
traverses,  ready  to  stop  any  counter  attack  by  use  of  rifle  fire 
or  the  bayonet,  or  both.  They  also  assist  in  determining  the 
fall  of  grenades,  help  to  correct  the  fire  of  the  throwers,  and 
signal  when  an  advance  is  possible.  When  a  further  advance 
has  become  impossible  the  riflemen  notify  the  squad  commander. 
Without  further  orders  a  barricade  of  sandbags  is  built  by  all 
available  men  and  the  riflemen  post  themselves  behind  it,  ready 
to  fire. 

In  street  fighting  the  riflemen  watch  especially  doors  and 
windows. 

The  throwers. — The  throwers  should,  as  far  as  possible,  be 
expert  grenadiers.  They  should  have  both  hands  absolutely 
free  so  as  to  be  able  to  handle  grenades  writh  ease  and  safety. 
The  throwers  should  not  carry  a  rifle  except  when  the  grenade 
attack  is  but  a  prelude  to  some  further  enterprise  in  which 
rifles  will  be  .required ;  if  the  rifle  is  carried,  it  should  be  slung 
over  the  back  during  the  grenade  fight.  The  throwers  should 
be  provided  with  pistols  and  knives  for  their  personal  defense. 

The  carriers. — The  carriers,  one  of  whom  is  attached  to  each 
thrower,  assure  the  supply  of  grenades,  which  they  carry  in 
baskets  or  bags,  and  which  they  pass  to  their  throwers  one  at 
a  time.  The  carriers  replace  the  throwers  when  the  latter  fall. 

March  formation  of  grenade  squads. — Grenade  squads  on  the 
inarch  make  use  of  the  usual  formations  for  patrols  and  recon- 
naissances. 


28          NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

The  squad  commander  takes  the  position  from  which  he  can 
best  direct  the  movement  of  his  squad. 

The  riflemen  are  disposed  so  as  to  cover  the  forward  move- 
ment, the  flanks,  and  to  protect  the  grenadiers  in  case  of  an  en- 
counter with  the  enemy. 

In  the  march  on  open  ground  the  squads  are  in  skirmish  line, 
with  the  riflemen  distributed  along  the  line,  but  particularly 
grouped  in  the  wings  so  as  to  protect  the  grenadiers.  In  case 
the  enemy  is  encountered  the  riflemen  who  are  scouting  to  the 
front  take  their  places  in  the  line. 

In  marching  in  communicating  trenches,  the  squads  move  in 
single  file,  the  order  of  march  being  as  follows:  Riflemen, 
throwers,  carriers. 

SQUAD  EXERCISES.' 

In  general,  squad  training  may  be  said  to  consist  of  rehearsals 
of  the  various  operations  which  grenadiers  may  be  called  upon 
to  undertake  in  actual  war.  These  exercises  should  always  be 
carried  out  under  conditions  identical,  as  nearly  as  possible, 
with  those  to  be  expected  in  actual  service;  trenches  should 
always  be  provided  for  instruction  purposes.  Instruction  should 
be  given  at  night  as  well  as  by  day  and  under  all  conditions  of 
weather. 

In  the  European  war  zone  all  successful  operations  in  grenade 
warfare  will  be  found  to  have  been  rehearsed  for  several  days. 
The  most  important  grenade  fight  of  which  we  have  authentic 
accounts  was  rehearsed  for  about  10  days  at  a  point  some  miles 
behind  the  lines,  where  special  comforts  were  provided  for  the 
grenadier  detachment,  and  where  exact  copies  of  the  hostile 
trenches  and  nearby  terrain  were  made  from  data  obtained  from 
aeroplane  photographs  and  from  two  or  three  months  of  personal 
reconnaissance.  The  attack,  which  was  preeminently  success- 
ful, was  not  undertaken  until  every  man  could  go  through  hi;; 
part  in  it  by  day  and  by  night  without  hesitation. 

Squad  exercises  are  carried  out  on  a  terrain  specially  pre- 
pared for  the  purpose.  ( See  Appendix  A. ) 

The  squad  will  be  instructed  to  divide  itself  rapidly  into  rifle- 
men, throwers,  and  carriers,  and  will  be  taught  the  proper  steps 
to  take  in  the  different  circumstances  of  combat. 

The  men  must  always  work  in  the  greatest  silence,  communi- 
cating as  much  as  possible  by  gestures  and  signals. 


PAET  II. 

TACTICAL  EMPLOYMENT  OF  HAND 
GRENADES. 

There  are  no  set  rules  for  the  tactical  employment  of  gren- 
ades, and,  from  the  very  nature  of  the  case,  no  such  rules  can 
be  formulated.  Every  problem  must  be  considered  separately, 
the  terrain  and  the  enemy  carefully  studied,  and  most  careful 
and  detailed  preparations  must  be  worked  out  in  advance. 
The  men  must  be  well  trained  in  throwing  grenades  and  must 
be  daring  and  resourceful.  Most  of  the  work  must  be  done 
under  cover  of  darkness. 

Theoretical  and  practical  instruction  should  be  given  in  the 
following : 

Defensive. — Defense  of  a  trench  by  grenades,  including  the 
location  and  construction  of  emplacements  for  grenadiers, 
niches  for  grenade  depots,  and  barricades  against  grenades. 

Offensive. — 1.  Advance  in,  and  step  by  step  defense  of,  com- 
munication trenches. 

2.  Assault  of  a  trench  with  grenade  preparation  of  the  as- 
sault. 

3.  Cleaning  up  of  a  trench,  taking  it  by  the  flank,  including 
measures  of  security  during  the  operation. 

4.  Execution  of  sorties. 

The  instruction  should  also  include  formations  for  marching 
in  open  terrain  by  night  and  by  day ;  methods  of  making  a 
rapid  approach  to  hostile  trenches  after  preparation  by  artillery 
and  trench  engines ;  surprise  attacks  at  night. 

The  organization  of  grenade  supply  should  be  part  of  each 
exercise. 

DEFENSIVE. 

Defense    of   a    Trench    by    Grenades. 

The  grenadiers  are  divided  into  small  groups  of  two  or  more 
squads  along  the  line ;  their  number  is  increased  along  the  most 
exposed  fronts,  such  as  salients,  parts  very  close  to  the  enemy's 

29 


30          NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

trench,  etc.  It  is  well  in  this  case  to  double  these  trench  ele- 
ments by  other  trenches  very  close  to  the  first,  so  as  to  form, 
to  a  certain  extent,  two  ranks  of  grenadiers  at  these  points. 

In  order  to  avoid  the  daily  losses  where  the  trenches  are  very 
close  together,  superiority  in  grenade  throwing  must  be  obtained 
and  maintained  so  as  to  make  it  impossible  for  the  enemy  to 
stay  in  his  trench. 

Emplacements  for  grenadiers  and  depots  for  grenades  will  be 
provided  in  the  "  double  "  trench,  at  the  entrance  to  the  com- 
municating trenches,  and  in  shelters  along  the  course  of  the 
communicating  trenches  in  such  a  way  as  to  permit  an  exit 
in  case  the  trench  is  invaded  by  the  enemy. 

The  different  groups  must  be  exercised  in  the  rapid  organiza- 
tion of  counterattacks  with  the  grenade  so  as  to  retako  any  part 
of  the  trench  which  may  be  lost. 

OFFENSIVE. 
General. 

The  dispositions  taken  for  combat  in  trenches  must  be  such 
as  to  avoid  piling  the  men  up.  Only  a  minimum  number  of  men 
must  be  exposed  to  hostile  grenades,  and  these  must  have  suffi- 
cient room  for  freedom  of  movement.  This  kind  of  fighting  is 
very  onerous,  for  which  reason  frequent  relief  must  be  provided  ; 
besides  this,  the  group  commander  must  be  able  to  replace  in- 
stantly all  men  put  out  of  action  and,  when  necessary,  to  reen- 
force  the  leading  squad  by  new  riflemen  or  throwers. 

The  most  profound  silence  must  be  maintained,  so  as  to  hear 
all  sounds  coming  from  the  enemy  which  may  serve  as  indica- 
tions ;  hence,  communicate  by  gestures  and  signals. 

Groups  must  not  "  bunch  up  "  ;  not  more  than  three  men  should 
be  in  a  single  element  of  the  trench  at  any  one  time.  Advance 
prudently,  keeping  a  sharp  lookout  for  traps,  fougasses,  etc. 
The  long  straight  portions  of  the  trench  are  generally  enfiladed 
by  rifles  or  machine  guns  placed  in  the  traverses.  The  enemy 
also  often  hides  at  the  end  of  a  blind  lateral  communicating 
trench,  of  which  the  entrance  is  sometimes  masked,  for  instance, 
by  a  piece  of  painted  canvas.  If  the  advance  is  made  too  rap- 
idly, the  enemy  may  come  out  of  his  hiding  place  behind  the 
group  of  grenadiers  and  cut  it  off. 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.          31 

1.  Advance  in,  and  Step  by  Step  Defense  of,  Communicating 
Trenches. 

Figures  8  and  9  indicate,  in  a  general  way,  the  disposition 
and  movements  of  the  grenadiers  in  operations  of  this  nature, 
which  are  about  the  same  as  in  cleaning  up  a  fire  trench. 

The  type  method  of  operation  is  based  on  the  following  prin- 
ciple: The  enemy  must  be  driven  back,  step  by  step,  and  due 
precaution  must  be  taken  to  minimize  the  losses  that  may  be 
caused  by  his  grenades.  Progress  will  therefore  be  attempted 
under  the  following  conditions  (fig.  9)  : 

1.  Organize  a  forward  group  composed  of — 

(a)  A  rifleman   (/*)   who  acts  as  a  point,  stops  the  enemy 
grenadiers,  and  protects  our  own.    Reserve  rifleman  at  (f). 

(b)  Two  grenadiers  (I1,  I2)  who  methodically  throw  grenades 
to  points  1,  2,  and  3,  then  to  points  1',  2',  and  3',  always  beyond 
the  defilated  spaces,  so  as  to  insure  a  constant  and  progressive 
cleaning  out. 

(c)  A  chief  of  group   (Ch)  who  directs  the  combat,  corrects 
the  fire,  organizes  the  relief  of  the  grenadiers  and  of  the  car- 
riers, superintends  the  ammunition  supply,  and  holds  himself 
ready  to  defend  his  ground,  foot  by  foot,  if  further  progress 
becomes  impossible. 

2.  Organize   an   ammunition    replenishment    chain    composed 
of— 

(a)  Three  ammunition  bearers,  or  carriers  (p1,  p*,  p'),  placed 
somewhat  apart  so  as  to  have  freedom  of  movement.  They 
pass  up  grenades  in  baskets,  haversacks,  or  bags. 

(&)  A  series  of  relays,  proportional  in  number  to  the  con- 
stantly increasing  distance  which  separates  the  combatant 
group  from  the  principal  grenade  depot. 

3.  Organize  a  group  of  pioneers    (P)    close  to  the  advance 
group  of  carriers,  which  should  always  be  ready  to  construct  a 
barricade  or  to  demolish  those  of  the  enemy.     The  pioneers 
should  be  supplied  with  shovels,  picks,  empty  sandbags,  bombs 
loaded  or  ready  to  be  loaded  with  explosive  charges.    They  may 
also  have  rifle  grenades  to  hinder  the  enemy's  supply  system, 
and  one  or  two  automatic  riflemen  to  defend  their  barricades. 

All  men  are  required  to  preserve  the  most  profound  silence 
and  to  observe  attentively  all  sounds  coming  from  the  enemy. 

The  grenadiers,  supplied  without  interruption  by  the  carriers, 
throw  grenades  continuously,  one  thrower  upon  the  nearest 
enemy  and  another  as  far  forward  as  possible,  so  as  to  prevent 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


HJ. 

^Riflemen 


~\Sauetc/  Commander 

Rif/emen,  substitutes 


\  Men  for  The  supply  of$ren0cfe5, 
\  fj/linfsand  bags,  preparation 
\of  explosive  charges,  firing 
\  of  /ow  power  Trench  eng/nes, 
E  rifle  and  $un  grenades. 


Fig.  8. 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


Tramverje 


Communfccit/nf  Trench 


V 


.£ 


Fig.  9. 


34 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


the  enemy  from  bringing  up  grenades.  Hostile  barricades  are 
destroyed  as  far  as  possible  by  charges  of  explosives. 

When  the  leading  squad  judges  that  the  enemy  is. overcome 
(as  shown  by  slackening  or  cessation  of  his  grenade  fire,  indi- 
cations given  by  noises,  etc.)  the  riflemen  slide  forward  in  the 
smoke,  glance  around  the  corner,  and  signal  to  their  comrades ; 
and  so  the  forward  movement  continues  from  turn  to  turn  or 
from  traverse  to  traverse. 

When  a  rifleman  sees  a  lateral  communicating  trench  (J51), 
he  signals  to  the  throwers,  who  place  a  series  of  three  grenades 
in  each  direction  (at  &1  and  &2).  The  trench  is  at  once  explored 
so  as  to  avoid  surprises.  If  no  movement  is  to  be  made  in  this 
new  direction,  a  barricade  is  established  at  'Some  distance  from 
the  principal  communicating  trench,  so  as  to  place  it  out  of 
range  of  hostile  grenades.  This  barricade  should  be  built  of 
sandbags  and  guarded. 

A  detachment  is  specially  charged  with  filling  sand  bags,  so 
as  to  permit  the  rapid  building  of  barricades. 

It  is  well  to  use  gun  grenades,  or  mortars  of  low  power  to 
interrupt  at  long  range  the  enemy's  supply  of  hand  grenades. 

If  the  advance  is  temporarily  checked,  the  ground  already 
gained  must  be  defended  foot  by  foot  until  the  advance  can  be 


\Pile  of  sand  bergs 

broker?  a/own 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


35 


resumed.  In  this  case  impede  the  enemy's  advance  by  increas- 
ing the  number  of  barricades,  obstructing  the  trench  by  piling 
up  sandbags  or  by  breaking  down  the  sides  of  the  trench,  so  as 
to  force  the  enemy  to  expose  himself  to  rifle  fire.  (Fig.  10.) 

It  may  be  possible  and  advisable  to  draw  the  enemy  on  to  a 
point  where  he  will  be  outnumbered  in  grenadiers  and  where 
he  may  be  decisively  defeated.  (Fig.  11.) 


Fig.  11. 


Trenches  m  which  if 
\W//J  be  possible  fo 
I  place  a  great  number 
\  of  qrenad/ers 


2.  Assault  of  a  Trench,  Prepared  by  the  Grenade. 

The  assault  of  a  trench  is,  in  general,  a  combined  action 
which  is  executed  under  the  protection  of  powerful  bursts  of 
Artillery  fire.  But  sometimes  during  the  combat  the  lines  are 
so  close  together  in  certain  sections  that  the  Artillery  prepara- 
tion can  not  be  made.  An  effort  will  then  be  made  to  overcome 
the  enemy  by  grenades  so  as  to  fall  on  him  thereafter  with  the 
bayonet.  A  few  riflemen,  armed  with  grenades  (expert  grena- 
diers if  possible),  approach  the  enemy,  utilizing  all  the  acci^ 
dents  of  the  ground.  Meanwhile  the  rest  of  the  group  wait 
behind  cover  for  the  moment  to  assault.  The  grenadiers  over- 
whelm the  enemy  with  a  hail  of  "well-directed  grenades,  and 
oblige  him  either  to  evacuate  the  position  or  to  take  to  the 
shelters.  At  this  moment  the  assault  should  be  made. 

The  assault  is  sure  to  be  followed  by  a  struggle  in  the 
interior  of  the  hostile  position,  which  can  be  prepared  for 


36          NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

beforehand,  thanks  to  our  information  of  the  hostile  defensive 
organization. 

Well-defined  missions  may  then  be  assigned  to  certain  squads 
of  grenadiers,  such  as  advancing  through  the  communicating 
trenches  toward  the  intermediary  position  or  the  second  posi- 
tion ;  cleaning  up  the  trenches  and  communicating  trenches,  etc. 

The  groups  to  which  these  various  missions  are  assigned  are 
specially  trained  for  the  purpose  in  advance. 

3.  Cleaning  up  a  Trench. 

The  cleaning  up  of  the  trenches  comprises  two  distinct  parts, 
which  must  be  assigned  to  different  squads: 

First.  The  cleaning  up,  properly  so  called,  which  consists  in 
assuring  the  fact  that  no  enemy  remains  in  the  captured 
trenches  or  shelters. 

The  organization  of  "  clearing  "  or  "  mopping-up  "  parties  re- 
quires very  careful  prearrangement.  The  strength  of  these 
parties  and  their  position  in  the  assaulting  column  must  depend 
on  the  circumstances.  Their  strength  has  amounted  in  some 
cases  to  25  or  30  per  cent  of  the  assaulting  force. 

If  the  first  waves  of  the  assault  are  to  push  forward  over  a 
line  or  lines  of  hostile  trenches  to  some  further  objective,  they 
must  be  accompanied  by  small  parties  of  bombers,  whom  they 
will  drop  in  these  lines  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  issuing  from 
his  dugouts  and  shelters,  till  the  arrival  of  the  larger  parties 
farther  back  in  the  assaulting  column,  who  are  detailed  for  the 
systematic  clearing  up  of  the  line. 

The  most  effective  weapon  for  clearing  dugouts  is  the  suf- 
focating grenade,  which  drives  out  or  suffocates  the  occupants, 
and  has  sometimes  set  fire  to  the  woodwork.  The  ordinary 
explosive  grenade  is  comparatively  ineffective  against  a  large 
dugout  with  several  rooms  and  passages. 

German  dugouts  have  usually  more  than  one  entrance,  and 
when  clearing  up  dugouts  a  sentry  should  invariably  be  posted 
at  all  entrances  to  each  dugout.  One  of  his  duties  is  to  see  that 
the  dugout  is  not  bombed  by  another  party  while  our  men  are 
in  it. 

In  wood  and  village  fighting,  care  should  be  taken  that  each 
dugout  is  discovered  and  dealt  with.  It  may  also  be  necessary 
in  some  cases  to  drop  parties  to  clear  up  the  shell  holes  in  front 
of  and  behind  a  line  of  hostile  trenches  or  to  search  a  field  of 
long  grass  or  crops  for  concealed  machine  guns. 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.          37 

The  importance  of  such  clearing-up  operations  is  very  great, 
and  neglect  to  provide  for  them  has  had  most  unfortunate  re- 
sults on  more  than  one  occasion.  Special  precautions  are  neces- 
sary to  insure  that  men  detailed  for  such  work  do  not  push  on 
with  the  advancing  line. 

The  squads  charged  with  the  cleaning  up  of  the  trenches, 
properly  so  called,  follow  a  fixed  itinerary.  They  run  along 
the  trenches  and' the  communicating  trenches  and  do  their  work 
so  that  no  part  of  the  trenches  is  overlooked.  They  strew 
grenades  along  their  passage,  their  attention  being  especially 
directed  to  the  shelters,  whose  openings,  often  concealed  or 
closed  by  the  bombardment,  are  not  always  apparent.  The  pris- 
oners are  collected  and  rapidly  sent  back  by  the  noncommis- 
sioned officers  in  command  of  the  cleaning-up  squads. 

Second.  The  destruction  of  hostile  detachments  which  con- 
tinue to  resist  in  certain  places. 

The  squads  intended  to  overcome  any  possible  resistance  are 
composed  of  expert  grenadiers.  They  march  with  the  second 
line,  and,  always  on  the  alert,  they  rush  upon  the  points  where 
the  enemy  still  resists,  following  the  trenches,  as  far  as  possible, 
so  as  to  attack  from  the  side  least  defended. 

4.  Sorties. 

GENERAL. 

The  grenade  is  continually  employed  in  the  execution  of  sudden 
enterprises  (coups  de  main)  or  sorties,  which  are  attempted  by 
small  groups  of  chosen  men,  having  mutual  confidence  in  each 
other,  and  especially  trained  in  grenade  work ;  or  by  a  unit, 
likewise  selected  and  sometimes  given  a  stronger  proportion  of 
noncommissioned  officers,  and  which  leaves  uncertain  members 
behind. 

Sorties  have  for  their  object  the  throwing  of  grenades  into 
an  occupied  portion  of  the  enemy's  trench,  the  attack  of  a  sap 
head,  the  occupation  of  a  crater,  the  capture  of  a  listening  post 
or  trench,  or  to  bring  back  prisoners. 

The  success  of  such  an  operation  depends  essentially  upon 
the  care  with  which  it  has  been  prepared  by  minute  reconnais- 
sance and  by  the  thorough  rehearsal  of  all  phases  of  its  execu- 
tion under  conditions  as  near  as  possible  to  those  actually 
existing. 


38  NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

PREPARATION. 

The  preparation  must  be  made  with  the  most  minute  care. 

The  special  role  of  the  officer  who  is  to  carry  out  the  enter- 
prise is : 

First.  To  see  to  all  the  necessary  reconnaissances  (terrain, 
accessory  defenses,  hostile  trenches,  etc.). 

The  terrain  must  be  studied  from  the  double  point  of  view  of 
avenues  of  approach  and  of  shelter  which  will  permit  lodgment 
for  the  grenadiers  within  grenade  range  of  the  enemy's  position. 

The  defensive  arrangements  of  the  enemy  can  be  advantage- 
ously studied  on  photographs  taken  from  the  avions. 

Second.  To  study  the  conditions  under  which  the  operation 
will  be  carried  out  (weather,  hour,  etc.). 

Third.  To  assign  to  each  squad  a  well-defined  task. 

Fourth.  To  arrange  the  best  system  of  supply. 

Fifth.  To  put  the  infantry  and  artillery  who  are  to  support 
the  operation  in  touch  with  the  manner  in  which  he  proposes 
to  carry  out  his  mission. 

The  officer  in  charge  of  the  sortie  personally  conducts  the 
squad  charged  with  the  principal  operation.  He  should  hold 
one  of  his  subordinates  responsible  for  the  supply  of  grenades. 

After  the  preparation  for  the  sortie,  made  on  the  spot  in  the 
trench,  in  front  of  the  hostile  position,  the  troops  charged  with 
its  execution  should  be  taken  to  the  rear  for  some  time  so  as  to 
prepare  themselves  by  rehearsal  of  the  appropriate  exercises. 

ATTACK  OF  A  TRENCH  BY  A  SORTIE. 

The  group  which  is  to  carry  out  the  attack  approaches  the 
enemy's  trench  silently ;  if  there  has  been  artillery  preparation 
the  approach  must  be  very  rapid. 

When  the  group  is  close  to  the  points  chosen  for  crossing  the 
accessory  defenses  (supposed  to  be  destroyed  in  front  of  the 
point  of  attack),  a  shower  of  grenades  is  thrown  into  the 
enemy's  trench.  Immediately  after  the  burst  of  grenades  the 
men  leap  into  the  trench. 

Such  an  operation  usually  requires  two  groups,  who,  once  in 
the  trench,  proceed  to  the  cleaning  up  thereof,  one  to  the  right 
and  the  other  to  the  left. 

All  precautions  should  be  taken  to  avoid  the  enemy's  grenades. 
A  position  prepared  a  few  yards  in  rear  of  the  first  line  may 
have  been  arranged  by  the  enemy,  and  this  must  be  taken  into 
consideration. 


NOTES  ON  GEENADE  WARFARE.          39 

Sometimes  it  is  well  to.  choose  a  very  dark  night  or  very  bad 
weather.  An  understanding  must  then  be  arranged  between  the 
garrison  of  the  line  of  departure  and  the  group  of  grenadiers. 
For  instance,  a  few  shots  fired  in  a  certain  manner  warn  the 
grenadiers  that  a  light  rocket  is  going  up.  The  grenadiers  lie 
on  the  ground  and  profit  by  the  light  to  study  their  terrain.  As 
soon  as  the  rocket  goes  out  they  rush  forward. 

During  the  cleaning  up  the  riflemen  keep  watch  on  any  spe- 
cial objectives,  according  to  orders  given  them  before  the  de- 
parture. 

NOTES. — It  must  be  realized  by  all  ranks  that  the  rifle  and 
the  bayonet  is  the  main  infantry  weapon.  Grenades  are  useful 
for  clearing  small  lengths  of  trench  and  for  close  fighting  after 
a  trench  has  been  rushed;  but  no  great  or  rapid  progress  will 
ever  be  made  by  bombing,  and  an  assault  across  the  open  after 
adequate  preparation  wrill  usually  be  a  quicker  and,  in  the  long 
run,  a  less  costly  operation  than  bombing  attacks  on  a  large 
scale. 

There  is  a  tendency  in  bombing  operations  for  more  grenades 
than  necessary  to  be  thrown,  thus  tiring  out  the  throwers  pre- 
maturely and  wasting  grenades.  This  is  due  partly  to  neglect 
of  throwing  discipline,  and  also  in  some  cases  to  the  bombers 
having  been  overloaded  with  grenades  and  hastening  to  get  rid 
of  part  of  their  load;  120  grenades  per  bombing  squad  of  8 
men  is  as  large  a  quantity  as  can  be  carried.  Reserve  supplies 
for  immediate  use  can  be  formed,  when  the  objective  has  been 
reached,  by  collecting  the  two  grenades  per  man,  which  should 
be  carried  by  all  infantry. 


PAKT  III. 

MECHANICAL  METHODS  OF  THROWING 
GRENADES. 


Mechanical  methods  of  throwing  hand  grenades  have  the  ad- 
vantage of  enabling  a  hostile  trench  to  be  made  uncomfortable 
without  exposing  our  own  men,  and  of  operating  at  a  greater 
distance  than  is  possible  when  throwing  by  hand.  It  also  per- 
mits grenades  to  be  methodically  thrown  on  critical  points  of 
the  enemy's  trenches  at  intervals  throughout  the  day  or 'night. 
The  mechanical  grenade  throwers  in  general  use  consist  of  ordi 
nary  rifles,  special  devices,  and  trench  guns  or  mortars. 

RIFLE  GRENADES. 

The  construction  and  uses  of  the  rifle  grenade  should  be  care- 
fully taught  in  the  manner  indicated  for  hand  grenades,  and 
with  the  same  painstaking  care. 

The  rifle  may  be  held  in  the  hand,  the  firer  kneeling,  the  rifle 
butt  on  soft  ground,  a  piece  of  turf,  or  a  bundle  of  rags.  It  may 
be  fired  from  a  rack  or  rest  (see  figs.  12,  13,  14),  which  in- 
sures greater  accuracy  and  rapidity,  and  also  permits  the 
accurate  laying  of  the  rifle  from  behind  shelter  by  means  of  a 
level  with  a  jointed  leg  or  some  similar  device. 

Rifles  using  grenades  may  be  fired  from  a  rest  by  a  lanyard 
attached  to  the  trigger,  with  a  small  pulley  to  give  direction  to 
the  lanyard.  From  four  to  six  rifles  may  be  fired  by  the  same 
operator,  by  the  simple  device  of  using  the  proper  number  of 
lanyards  and  pulleys  attached  to  a  crossbar. 

Precautions. 

1.  Do  not  permit  the  firing  of  a  rifle  grenade  unless  cover  is 
at  hand  behind  which  the  firer  and  spectators  may  seek  shelter 
before  the  grenade  strikes  the  ground.  The  stem  of  the  grenade 
is  sometimes  thrown  several  hundred  yards  to  the  rear  and 
would  make  a  dangerous  if  not  fatal  wound  even  at  that  dis- 
tance. 

41 


42 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


DC 

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2  < 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


43 


FIG.  14.— THIS    ILLUSTRATION  SHOWS    A    MODERN    RIFLE    REST 
AND.GRENADE  THROWER  COMBINED. 


44          NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

2.  Do  not  remove  the  safety  wire  until  the  moment  of  firing. 

The  best  results  are  obtained  by  placing  the  rifle  in  a  rest  or 
holder.  This  is  especially  necessary  when  it  is  desired  to  fire  on 
a  critical  point  of  the  hostile  trenches  at  intervals  throughout 
the  night.  A  simple  rest  or  frame  may  be  devised  on  the  spot, 
and  it  may  also  be  arranged  so  that  one  rifleman  may  fire  four 
to  six  rifles  at  the  same  time. 

Tactical  Employment  of  Rifle  Grenades. 

The  well-directed  employment  of  rifle  grenades  demoralizes 
the  enemy  and  inflicts  upon  him  much  more  serious  losses  than 
the  artillery  bombardment.  As  an  illustration  of  this,  a  bat- 
talion of  infantry  on  the  western  front  in  Europe  is  reported 
to  have  received  a  bombardment  of  3,000  shells  in  one  day  with- 
out one  man  jDeing  touched.  In  the  evening,  while  the  men 
were  at  supper,  laughing  about  the  inefficient  work  of  the  Hos- 
tile artillery,  a  rifle  grenade  fell  into  a  group  of  twelve  men, 
killing  four,  and  wounding  eight,  two  of  them  fatally. 

Enemy  trenches  should  be  minutely  studied,  to  find  the 
points  where  an  adversary  is  likely  to  be  located,  such  as  sentry 
posts,  shelters,  crossings  of  communication  trenches,  etc. 
Rifles  clamped  in  racks  or  rests  should  be  kept  laid  on  these 
points  in  order  to  shoot  a  grenade  at  once  on  any  indication 
of  movement  at  that  point.  Such  a  continuous  fire,  by  night 
and  by  day,  on  well-chosen  points  will  cause  the  enemy  appre- 
ciable losses,  and  adversely  affect  his  morale. 

Well-directed  rifle  fire  of  grenades  by  small,  perfectly  trained 
detachments  on  an  enemy  assembling  for  attack,  or  upon  known 
and  registered  points  of  communication  trenches  during  the 
hour  of  changing  reliefs,  should  give  excellent  results. 

In  assaults  the  employment  of  rifle  grenades  is  closely  con- 
nected with  the  action  of  other  units  constituting  the  waves  of 
assault. 

In  cleaning  up  communication  trenches  the  fire  of  rifle  gre- 
nades should  be  carefully  executed  by  the  supporting  groups 
which  follow  immediately  in  rear  of  the  first  line  of  grena- 
diers, in  order  to  hinder  the  enemy's  supply  and  to  bar  his  line 
of  retreat. 

Grenades  fired  from  infantry  rifles  at  a  range  of  about  200 
yards,  with  an  angle  of  departure  of  about  45  degrees,  give  a 
good  angle  of  fall  for  reaching  the  enemy  in  his  trenches. 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.          45 

. — As  a  corollary  of  this  method,  it  is  suggested  that  a 
table  of  elevations  be  constructed  for  use  in  high-angle  fire  of 
ordinary  infantry  bullets  from  rifles  and  machine  guns. 

GUN  GRENADES. 

The  intelligent  employment  of  gun  grenades  demoralizes  the 
enemy  and  inflicts  upon  him  losses  much  heavier  than  those  due 
to  bombardment. 

The  hostile  trench  must  be  studied  minutely  in  order  to  know 
the  points  where  the  enemy  may  be  caught  (such  as  in  lookout 
posts,  shelters,  the  crossings  of  communicating  trenches,  etc.). 
The  grenade  guns  should  be  kept  accurately  laid  on  these  vul- 
nerable points,  so  as  to  be  able  to  send  a  grenade  upon  them  at 
any  moment  of  the  day  or  night. 

Notwithstanding  the  almost  complete  invisibility  of  the  enemy 
in  his  trenches,  his  small  density  and  his  quick  disappearance 
into  shelters,  it  is  still  possible  to  cause  him  considerable  losses 
by  sending  a  ceaseless  rain  of  gun  grenades  on  certain  judi- 
ciously chosen  points. 

The  chief  of  a  bombardier  section  has  a  very  important  role 
to  play.  He  must  be  constantly  on  the  watch,  his  vigilance  is 
perpetual,  in  order  to  cooperate  to  the  fullest  possible  extent  in 
giving  the  garrison  of  his  sector  an  aggressive  attitude,  which 
should  always  characterize  the  periods  of  calm.  Each  of  his 
subordinates  shares  his  responsibility  in  this  respect,  and  this 
small  unit  must  cultivate  and  maintain  a  value  in  morale  which 
makes  it  a  veritable  "  corps  d'elite." 

PROJECTING  APPARATUS  FOR  GRENADES. 
I.  Organization. 

Projecting  apparatus  or  trench  weapons  are  divided  into  two 
classes : 

(a)  High-power  weapons,  used  by  the  artillery  bombardiers, 
and  which  are  described  under  the  head  of  artillery. 

(&)  Low-power  weapons,  comprising  mortars  or  bomb  throw- 
ers whose  propelling  force  is  powder,  compressed  air,  or  springs. 
(See  figs.  15,  16.) 

Low-power  weapons  are  used  by  the  infantry  and  are  organized 
into  batteries  of  four  to  six  pieces,  attached  to  battalions.  The 
assignment  of  the  weapons  of  this  kind  among 'the  different 
battalions  is  not  uniform,  but  depends  upon  the  terrain  and  the 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


FIG.  15.— THIS  DEVICE  FOR  CASTING  GRENADES  OR  BOMBS  IS 
OF  VERY  ANCIENT  DESIGN,  BUT  IS  BEING  USED  EFFECTIVELY 
FOR  DROPPING  BOMBS  ON  HOSTILE  TRENCHES  IN  THE 
EUROPEAN  WAR. 


NOTES   ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.  47 


FIG.  16.— A  MODERN  GRENADE  THROWER  WITH   ITS  MUNITION 

CASE. 


48          NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

specific  object  to  be  attained,  with  a  view  to  concentrating  at 
the  most  important  points  the  maximum  means  of  this  nature. 

II.  Tactical  Employment. 

Low-power  weapons  have  a  range,  depending  upon  the  pro- 
pelling charge  and  the  length  of  the  time  fuse,  of  from  50  to 
350  yards.  Their  effect  is  small  against  material  objects,  but 
they  are  very  efficient  against  personnel  behind  shelter  which 
protects  them  from  rifle  fire. 

Their  use  is  particularly  valuable  in  the  following  cases: 
(a)  Offensive. — 1.  Against  enemy  works,  such  as  shelters 
for  machine  guns,  which  are  demolished  or  nearly  demolished 
by  artillery  fire,  but  in  which  the  enemy  has  reestablished  him- 
self after  having  withstood  the  artillery  fire  in  his  deep  bomb- 
proofs. 

2.  In  parts  of  the  front  adjacent  to  those  from  which  our 
offensive  has  been  started,  with  a  view  to  cooperate  with  the 
infantry  remaining  on  this  front,  which  has  now  been  reduced 
to  a  minimum.     These  weapons  can  neutralize  the  action  of 
the  corresponding  hostile  front  and  can  prevent  flank  movements 
against  our  attacking  troops. 

3.  In  the  defense  against  counter  attack  of  a  newly  captured 
portion  of  the  hostile  front.     In  this  case  these  weapons  move 
forward  promptly  and  organize  battery  emplacements  to  assist 
in  the  defense  or  to  operate  against  adjoining  portions  of  the 
enemy  trenches  which  are  too  near  to  be  covered  by  our  artil- 
lery without  danger  to  our  own  troops. 

(6)  Defensive. — 1.  To  assist  in  the  defense  of  parts  of  the 
front  from  which  most  of  the  infantry  garrison  has  been  tempo- 
rarily withdrawn. 

2.  To  defend  parts  of  the  front  which  are  especially  close 
to  hostile  listening  posts,  small  posts,  or  advance  works  which 
threaten  our  front  line. 

3.  Near  the  second  or  third  line  in  order  to  render  untenable 
parts  of  our  first  line  taken  by  the  enemy. 

III.  Location  of  Battery  Emplacements. 

A  battery  produces  its  maximum  effect  when  firing  obliquely 
at  its  target,  but  observation  is  easier,  and  consequently  fire  is 
more  effective,  from  the  first-line  trenches.  For  this  reason  bat- 
teries intended  for  destructive  and  offensive  fire  are  generally 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.          49 

placed  in  or  near  the  first  line.  The  parts  of  the  line  most  dif- 
ficult for  the  enemy  to  reach,  such  as  reentrants,  defiladed 
points,  etc.,  are  selected,  if  possible,  and  three  or  four  emplace- 
ments for  each  battery  on  successive  lines  are  established 
beforehand.  Each  emplacement  is  divided  into  two  half  bat- 
teries, separated  by  a  traverse. 

IV.  Employment  of  Fire. 

Four  kinds  of  fire  are  distinguished : 

1.  Destructive  fire. — To  be  used  against  listening  posts,  small 
posts  in  course  of  construction,  and  blockhouses  and  machine- 
gun  shelters  already  damaged,  as,  for  instance,  by  artillery  fire. 

2.  Offensive  fire. — To   be   added   to   the   fire   of   high-power 
weapons  in  the  preparation  for  attack. 

3.  Defensive  fire. — Heavy  fire  on  the  parallels  of  departure 
of  the  enemy  preparing  an  attack;  heavy  fire  at  critical  mo- 
ments on  trenches  or  communication  trenches  captured  by  the 
enemy.    This  fire  should  be  violent,  unforeseen,  and  sudden. 

4.  Fire  in  periods  of  calm. — Violent  fire  at  any  moment  when 
the  enemy  appears  to  be  negligent,  such  as  when  a  fatigue 
party  arrives  in  a  trench,  during  a  calm  following  an  attack, 
during  the  warm  hours  of  the  day,  a  storm,  or  on  dark,  silent 
nights,  etc. 

Bomb-throwing  weapons  use  either  special  projectiles  or  the 
ordinary  hand  grenades  (explosive,  incendiary,  asphyxiating, 
etc.).  They  are  divided  into  three  classes,  according  to  the 
propelling  force  used : 

1.  Spring  apparatus,  using  the  force  of  unbending  springs. 

2.  Mortars,  using  the  force  of  gunpowder. 

3.  Pneumatic  guns,  using  the  force  of  compressed  air. 


PART  IV. 
SUPPLY  OF  GRENADES. 


The  supply  of  grenades  must  be  the  constant  care  of  the 
commanders  of  all  groups.  The  most  minute  precautions  must 
he  taken  to  prevent  the  grenadiers  running  short  of  grenades, 
and  arrangements  should  be  made  to  start  two  grenades  for- 
ward for  every  one  that  is  expected  to  reach  its  destination. 

The  supply  comprises,  both  on  defensive  and  offensive: 

1.  The  carrying  by  all  the  men  of  a  certain  number  of  gre- 
nades.   The  expert  grenadiers  and  the  men  forming  part  of  the 
squads  designated  to  fight  with  grenades  receive  a  more  plenti- 
ful supply,  carried  in  special  haversacks. 

2.  The    building    of    well-sheltered    depots,    whose    position 
should  be  known  to  all  grenadiers.    It  is  well  not  to  have  too 
many  of  these  depots. 

3.  Organization  for  transporting  the  grenades  from  the  de- 
pots to  the  combatants.  „ 

On  the  defensive,  the  first  condition  for  assuring  the  supply 
is  that  the  depots  should  be  near  the  combat  posts  of  the 
grenadiers  and  placed  in  good  shelters. 

The  personnel  charged  with  the  supply  must  know  perfectly 
the  places  of  the  combat  posts  and  of  the  different  depots ;  this 
personnel  should  be  placed  under  the  orders  of  a  noncommis- 
sioned officer  specially  detailed  for  this  work. 

On  the  offensive  the  supply  detachment  must  not  only  con- 
sider the  grenades  needed  by  the  combatants,  but  also  the  estab- 
lishment of  advance  depots,  built  as  the  advance  progresses. 

As  a  rule  depots  will  be  established  as  follows:  Near  the 
communicating  trenches  which  are  to  be  built  to  connect  the 
departure  trench  with  that  of  the  enemy  when  taken,  in  the 
forward  part  of  the  communicating  trenches  of  the  enemy,  and 
near  the  flanks  of  the  objective  attacked. 

The  grenades  must  be  sent  forward  in  sacks  or  baskets,  ready 
for  use. 

51 


APPENDIX  A. 
TRAINING  FIELDS. 


A  practice  field  for  each  regiment  should  be  constructed 
promptly  by  the  personnel  of  the  regiment  near  its  rest  camp 
or  billets.  Such  a  field  for  throwing  dummy  grenades  only  may 
be  made  a  very  simple  affair.  A  sketch  of  a  suitable  arrange- 


ituitiimin  i  II  lit 


B 


3'       -T 


30Y& 


20fc$. 


_|j 

z      _J_  J.  j. 


Fig.  17. 

ment  is  shown  in  figure  — .  This  is  intended  only  as  a  sug- 
gestion, and  any  other  arrangement  answering  the  same  pur- 
pose  is  permissible. 

The  trenches  may  be  actually  constructed  or  simply  indicated 
by  lines  marked  on  the  ground ;  a  traverse  or  screen  should 
52 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


always  be  provided  in  order  to  insure  that  grenades  are  thrown 
at  high  angles  so  as  to  give  a  plunging  fire. 

The  throwers  take  a  position  in  trench  A  and  practice  throw- 
ing dummy  grenades  into  trench  B,  afterwards  increasing  the 
distance  so  as  to  reach  C,  and  then  to  reach  D.  The  men  may 
be  divided  into  two  parties,  throwing  to  each  other  from  oppo- 
site ends  of  the  practice  ground,  in  friendly  contest,  so  as  to 
increase  the  interest  as  well  as  to  save  time.  Targets  may  be 
constructed  or  outlined  so  as  to  give  practice  in  throwing  for 


Wire 
15m 


I  Traverse 


Wine 


2om 


1 


Fig.  18. 


Instructor 


15  to  20 


accuracy.     The  men  must  be  required  to  throw  from  different 
positions — standing,  kneeling,  and  lying  down. 

The  regular  form  of  instruction  field  should  be  constructed 
when  troops  are  to  remain  some  time  in  any  place,  and  such  a 
field  is  absolutely  necessary  if  practice  is  to  be  had  in  throwing 
live  grenades.  This  involves  the  building  of  fire  and  communi- 
cating trenches,  machine-gun  emplacements,  shelters,  traverses, 
barbed-wire  entanglements,  barricades,  protecting  screens,  etc. 


54          NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 

The  establishment  of  an  instruction  field  requires  the  con- 
struction of: 

1.  About  200  yards  of  trenches  with  traverses,  communicating 
trenches,  and  shelters. 

2.  A  hole  to  serve  as  a  target  for  throwing  live  grenades.    This 
hole  should  be  about  8  feet  deep  and  12  feet  in  diameter.    It  is 
also  well  to  surround  it  with  barbed-wire  entanglements,  about 
18  to  20  yards  on  a  side,  so  as  to  prevent  the  handling  of  un- 
exploded  grenades  by  men  not  skilled  in  their  manipulation. 
At  some  distance  from  this  hole  and  on  the  same  side  as  the 
trench  from  which  the  throwing  is  to  be  done,  a  6-foot  traverse 
should  be  built.     The  throwers  should  be  sheltered  in  a  trench 
or  behind  a  wall  with  traverse.     ( Fig.  — . ) 

3.  About  30  yards  of  trench,  in  zigzag  form,  with  circular 
traverses. 

4.  Two  shelters  to  protect  against  humidity,  100  yards  apart, 
one  for  grenades,  the  other  for  detonators. 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


r 

UJ 

Of 
0 


C  Vj  O  u    ul 


Fig.  19. 


56 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


Fig.  20. 


APPENDIX  B. 
PROTECTION    AGAINST    GRENADES. 

The  method  of  making  a  device  for  protection  against  the  ex- 
plosion of  percussion  grenades  and  gun  bombs  is  indicated  in 
figures  21  and  22.  The  apparatus  is  simple  and  easily  constructed 
wherever  needed.  The  surface  of  the  screen  on  which  the  pro- 
jectile strikes  must  yield  on  the  shock  of  impact ;  hence  the  use 
of  timber  or  other  rigid  material  on  this  surface  should  be 
avoided  or  minimized  as  much  as  possible. 

Two  crosses  or  "  sawbucks  "  are  constructed  of  wood,  with 
the  ends  of  the  crosspieces  joined  by  a  stout  wire,  and  a  heavy 
nail  or  a  bolt  serving  as  a  pivot.  The  two  crosses  are  then  con- 
nected longitudinally  with  a  board,  and  the  corresponding  ends 
of  the  crosses  are  joined  by  a  heavy  wire.  The  frame  thus 
constructed  is  covered  with  any  convenient  form  of  metallic 
trellis,  such  as  chicken  wire. 

This  grenade  screen  is  placed  over  the  firing  or  communi- 
cating trench,  resting  on  traverses  or  other  points  of  support,  as 
indicated  in  figures  23,  24,  and  25.  It  is  balanced  in  position 
by  a  sandbag  resting  on  the  connecting  board.  By  displacing 
the  center  of  gravity  of  the  sandbag,  the  apparatus  is  easily 
adjusted  to  any  desired  position.  Experience  has  demonstrated 
the  efficiency  of  this  device. 

In  practice  it  is  found  that  grenades  do  not  burst  as  they 
strike  the  wire  of  the  screen,  but  are  thrown  back  by  the  re- 
bound far  enough  to  be  harmless.  These  screens  are  used  in 
parts  of  the  trench  which  are  especially  exposed  to  grenade  fire. 
The  pivot  OL  the  device  permits  it  to  be  displaced  slightly  from 
the  normal  position,  so  that  lookouts  may  put  their  heads  out 
of  the  trench,  and  by  lifting  the  apparatus  off  its  supporting 
points  it  may  be  used  as  an  auxiliary  defense,  especially  as  an 
obstacle  in  a  communication  trench. 

57 


58 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


Fig.  21 


1^3 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.          59 


Fig.  25. 


APPENDIX  C. 
SUGGESTED  TACTICAL  PROBLEM  FOR  GRENADIERS. 

Situation. — Red  (caps)  has  effected  a  lodgment  in  a  front- 
line trench  of  Blue  (hats),  and  is  now  driving  Blue  down  a 
communication  trench  toward  Blue's  second-line  trench. 

NOTE. — Actual  trenches  should  be  constructed,  and  umpires 
should  conduct  the  problem,  making  decisions  on  the  spot,  such 
as  ruling  men  out  as  killed,  requiring  one  side  or  the  other  to 
fall  back,  permitting  them  to  advance,  etc. 

Solution. — Red  is  preceded  by  two  riflemen  with  fixed  bayo- 
nets, whose  duty  it  is  to  occupy  the  angles  of  the  trench  in 
successsion,  so  as  to  sweep  straight  sections  ^.nd  prevent  the 
grenadiers  from  being  rushed.  Red  also  brings  up  machine 
guns  and  riflemen  to  the  front-line  trench  just  captured  from 
Blue  to  cover  the  advance;  but  the  grenadiers  do  not  carry 
rifles. 

For  grenades  use  small  sandbags  with  an  ordinary  firecracker 
to  simulate  explosion.  Each  thrower  should  be  followed  by  a 
carrier  with  a  basket  or  gunny  sack  filled  with  grenades  (40 
to  50),  which  are  passed  to  the  thrower  one  at  a  time;  and  a 
supply  detachment  should  be  bringing  up  grenades  from  the 
depots  in  rear.  Men  in  the  captured  Blue  trench,  provided  with 
periscopes,  should  coach  the  throwers,  correcting  the  fall  of 
grenades. 

When  Red  is  halfway  down  the  communicating  trench  the 
umpire  decides  that  his  advance  is  checked.  Red  then  passes 
up  sandbags  and  builds  a  barricade  at  the  farthest  point 
reached.  While  his  riflemen  are  holding  this  barricade,  assisted 
by  the  throwers,  a  second  barricade  is  erected  about  halfway 
back  to  the  captured  front-line  trench.  The  first  barricade  is 
solid  across  the  communicating  trench;  the  second  is  in  two 
parts,  each  extending  a  little  over  halfway  across  the  communi- 
cating trench,  and  not  opposite  each  other,  so  as  to  leave  a  pas- 
sage for  the  throwers  to  run  through,  throw  their  grenades,  and 
run  back  to  shelter. 


NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE.          61 

While  these  barricades  are  being  built,  mine  the  walls  of  the 
communicating  trench  between  the  barricades  with  half  a  dozen 
small  mines  (2  pounds),  and  set  them  off  with  a  slow  match. 
This  blows  in  the  trench  walls,  and  makes  a  place  which  the 
enemy  (Blue)  must  cross  unprotected  from  rifle  fire,  if  he  at- 
tempts a  counterattack. 

Red  now  drives  Blue  out  of  the  supporting  (second  line) 
trench  by  the  use  of  rifle  grenades  or  gun  bombs,  etc. 

NOTE. — The  first  and  second  line  trenches  are  about  100  yards 
apart. 

As  a  variation,  for  expert  grenadiers  put  dummy  figures  in 
the  Blue  trenches  and  use  live  grenades  in  the  attack. 


APPENDIX  D. 
DIVISION  BOMBING  SCHOOL. 

Suggested  syllabus  of  course  of  instruction  (11  working  days),   based 
on  British  schools. 


Day  and  hour. 

Place. 

Work. 

MONDAY. 

6  00  p.  m 

Lecture  hall 

Organizing  class  into  squads. 

Introductory   lecture.    Explosives,   fuses, 
detonators,  etc. 
Demolitions. 
Assembling  detonators,  fuses,  etc. 
Lecture:  Hand  grenade. 
Throwing  practice. 

Lecture:  Tactics. 
Demonstration  of  trench  storming. 
Lecture:  U.  S.  grenades. 
Nos.  1  to  6  squads  —  live-throwing  practice. 
Nos.  7  to  12  squads  —  inspection  of  trenches. 
Nos.  1  to  6  squads—  inspection  of  trenches. 
Nos.  7  to  12  squads—  live-throwing  practice. 
Dummy-throwing  practice. 

Lecture:  Defense. 
Lecture:  Projecting  apparatus. 
Dummy-throwing  practice. 
Nos.  1  to  6  squads—  firing  projecting  appa- 
ratus. 
Nos.  7  to  12  squads  —  trench-storming  prac- 
tice. 
Reverse  squads. 

Lecture:  Attack. 
Nos.  1  to  6  squads—  live-throwing  practice. 
Nos.  7  to  12  squads  —  practical  work. 
Reverse  squads. 
Lecture:  Crater  fighting. 
Squads  at  disposal  of  instructors. 
Dummy-throwing  practice. 

Lectur?:  Patrols. 
Lecture:  Foreign  grenades. 

TUESDAY. 

8.45  to  11.  30... 

11.  45  to  12.30... 
2.00  to   3.00... 
3.  00  to    4.00... 
4.00  to    4.45... 

WEDNESDAY. 

8.45  to  10.00... 
10.00  to  10.30... 
10.45  to  12.30... 
2.00  to   3.00... 

3  00  to   4.00 

Lecture  hall    

Trenches  

Throwing  field  

Lecture  hall 

Throwing  field 

Lecture  hall    . 

Trenches  

Lecture  hall    . 

Range 

Trenches  

do 

4.00  to   4.45... 

THURSDAY. 

8.45  to  11.  00... 
11.  15  to  11.45    . 

Range 

Throwing  field  

Lectuit-  iiall 

do             

11.  45  to  12.30... 
2.00  to   3.15... 

3.15  to   4.30.. 

FBIDAY. 

8.45  to  10.45.. 
11.00  to  11.45.. 

11.  45  to  12.30.. 
2.00  to    2.30.. 
2.30  to   4.15.. 
4.15  to    4.45    . 

Throwing  field  . 

Range 

Trenches 

Reverse  places  

Lecture  hall 

Range                 

Throwing  field  . 

Reverse  places 

Lecture  hall    

Throwing  field 

do  

SATURDAY. 

8  45  to  10.15... 
10.  30  to  12.15... 
62 

Lecture  hall  

do  

NOTES  ON  GRENADE  WARFARE. 


63 


Suggested  syllabus  of  course  of  instruction  (11  working  days), 
based  on  British  schools — Continued. 


Day  and  hour. 

Place. 

Work. 

MONDAY. 

8  45  to   9  45 

Lecture  hall 

Lecture*  Barricading 

9.  45  to  11.00... 

Range  

Nos.  1  to  6  squads  —  firing  rifle  grenades 

Trenches 

Nos.  7  to  12  squads  —  trench-storming  prac- 

11. 15  to  12.30... 

Reverse  places  

tice. 
Reverse  squads. 

2.00  to   3.15.  . 

Range  .  . 

Nos.  1  to  6  squads  —  firing  percussion  rifle 

Trenches  

grenades. 
Nos.  7  to  12  squads  —  trench-storming  prac- 

3.15 to   4.30... 

Reverse  places  

tice. 
Reverse  squads. 

6.00  to   8.00... 

Range  

Night  operations  —  live  throwing 

TUESDAY. 
8.  45  to  10.45... 

Trenches  

Practice  barricading 

11.00  to  12.30... 

Lecture  hall 

Nos  1  to  6  squads  —  lecture*  Trench-defensfl 

Trenches.. 

scheme. 
Nos.  7  to  12  squads  —  traverse  throwing 

2.00  to   3.30... 

Reverse  places  

Reverse  squads. 

3  30  to    4  30 

Trenches 

Trench-storming  competition                  ' 

WEDNESDAY. 
8.45  to  10.45... 

Lecture  hall.  .  . 

Lecture:  Attack  and  defense  scheme 

11  00  to  11  30 

do 

11.30  to  12.30... 

Throwing  field 

Helmet  drill 

2.00  to   2  45 

do 

2.45  to   3.45... 

Trenches.  . 

Rehearsal  for  night  operations 

6.00  to  11.00... 
THURSDAY. 

8.45  to  10.00... 

Lecture  hall  (outside)  . 
Range  .  . 

Night  operations. 
Nos  1  to  6  squads  —  live-throwing  competi- 

10.00 to  11.15... 

Throwing  field  
Reverse  places  

tion. 
Nos.  7  to  12  squads—  oral  examination. 
Reverse  squads. 

11.30  to  12.30... 

Throwing  field 

At  disposal  of  instructors 

2.00  to   4.30... 

do... 

Firing  rifle  grenades'  throwing  tests 

FRIDAY. 
8.45  to   9.15... 

Lecture  hall  

Explanation  of  scheme 

9.15  to  11.00... 

Trenches.. 

Rehearsal  for  scheme 

11.00  to  12.30... 

Throwing  field 

Recapitulation 

2.00  to    4.30 

Trenches 

SATURDAY. 
8.  45  to  11.30... 

Lecture  hall 

do  

officers. 

Throwing  field  

for  officers. 
Noncommissioned  officers  at  disposal  of  in- 

structors. 

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